^ 



1 

31 



.m«i»iiwiiwwii»ii»iWiiwiWLWiWi»JLPii«iw»ywmi 



DRAMATIC READER 




OF 
MAKE-BELIEVE 

GARDNER 




EDUCATIONAL PUBUSHING COMPANY 



^g^ 




Class P N^ZJi 

Book >& Z 

Copyright W 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



DRAMATIC READER 



THE LAND 
OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

A WORLD 
FOR LITTLE ACTORS 



BY 

MARY GARDNER 



EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 

BOSTON 

NEW YORK CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO 



^\\ 



A' 






Copyright, 191 i 

BY 

EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 






7 



5?CI.A29377i 



CONTENTS 

The Fairies of Caldon Low 

The Story 9 

The Play 14 

The Birds of Killingworth 

The Story 26 

The Play 33 

The Pied Piper of Hamelin 

The Story . 51 

The Play 60 

The Bishop of Hatto 

The Story 78 

The Play . . 84 

The Star Dollars 

The Story 99 

The Play 103 

The Brown Dwarf of Rugen 

The Story 109 

The Play 115 

The Miller of Dee 

The Story 138 

The Play 143 

The Crow's Children 

The Story .151 

The Play 155 

King Solomon and the Ants 

The Story 161 

- The Play ,,,,•... 164 

3 



PREFACE 

It IS not so long ago but that the youngest of our 
pedagogues can remember when many teachers looked 
askance at anything savoring of Dramatic Reproduction 
in the school-room. 

The excuses offered were the weakest of arguments 
against it, reflecting more upon the teacher's limitations 
than the proposed new work. 

"My children get so beside themselves. The room is 
so noisy. I have difficulty in quieting them. There is 
so much regular work (God save the mark!) to cover, I 
have no time for frills," and all the most liberal of critics 
admitted was that she had no deep-rooted prejudice 
against dramatic reproduction, but professed herself 
ignorant of ''how to go about it." 

At reproduction in narrative form, in which, too often, 
pupils are allowed to "but against their ands" in an end- 
less number of sentences that have no proper connection — 
at reproduction with crayon, ink wash, scissors, or pencil, 
the most conservative teacher did not start back; but 
dramatic reproduction, the one form of reproduction 
wholly natural to the child was a bird of quite another 
and fearsome color. 

" Dramatic Reproduction" — as it stands in the "grown- 
ups" vocabulary — "Let's play, Let's make believe. 
Let's pretend," as the child expresses it — has won its own 
way by proving that, if once applied, it will cure many 
of the worst ills to which the primary reading class is heir. 

S 



6 PREFACE 

The mechanics may be and should be carefully taught, 
but that by no means insures a child's being able to read. 
He may have mastered Ward's excellent " Phonic Manual" 
from cover to cover. He may amaze by his agility in the 
word gymnastics and still be but little nearer attaining 
the power to read. In a word, to interpret for his own 
and others' pleasure, the thought he gains from the printed 
page. 

What do we require in a good reader? First, absence 
of self- consciousness, else how can he enter into another's 
thought? Second, sympathetic expression as shown in 
the inflection, suited to bring out the shading of meaning. 

What method more natural to bring about this de- 
sired ability than the dramatic ? If he is the Pied Piper, 
playing rats and children to their doom, how can he be 
bashful, blundering Bennie ? If he is the irate farmer, 
protesting against the thievery of the birds and crying for 
their blood, how can he be the boy whose voice never got 
much beyond his lips before ? 

Admonitions to ''Open your mouth." ''Read a little 
louder," "Speak more distinctly," "Raise your voice," 
"Stand erect," "Hold your book properly," and the 
like, never yet made a reader and never will. 

Taking on the personality of another, as one must in 
dramatic reproduction, has solved many a seemingly 
hopeless problem of expression, inflection, voice, etc. 

How would you go about it? The story part of this 
little volume is like all other readers and may be treated 
in the i ame way, as each individual teacher elects. 

The dramatic part requires not only reading the part. 
The child must saturate himself with his particular part. 
In the case of simpler stories like Msop's Fables, where 



PREFACE 7 

each little actor's part is shorter, the drama may be ab- 
sorbed after a very few *' saturations, '* as one learns a 
game after a few times playing it. 

With the more difficult stories where each actor's part 
is longer, the drama may be read and re-read, each one 
taking his respective part, until after repeated readings 
and silent study, each one has become so familiar with 
his part, the story plays itself. 

They tell us there is no Royal Road leading to the Multi- 
plication Table, which statement our experience leads us 
to think is true, but there should be a Royal Road to any- 
thing that is so much a part of the child's life as reading, 
and this — '^Dramatization "we believe is the name — writ 
large on the sign post, pointing away from the older and 
lower road of '^ Everlasting Grind" to the newer and upper 
road — the King's Highway — leading the child back into a 
Kingdom that has ever been his own, a kingdom from 
which he is too often kidnapped by 'Xast-iron, Cut-and- 
dried Methods" at war with both his needs and nature. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

THE FAIRIES OF CALDON LOW 
The Story 

Once there lived a little girl called Mary. One 
summer afternoon her mother missed her, and though 
she called her many times, and looked everywhere 
for her little girl, Mary did not come home until the 
sun was high in the sky the next day. 

When her mother asked her where she had been 
all this time, Mary said she had climbed to the top 
of Caldon Hill. 

Her mother wondered what there was to be seen 
at the top of Caldon Hill, but Mary said she saw 
the sunshine — the golden sunshine — come down, 
and the merry winds play together. 

Her mother asked her if she had not been lonely 
in all those hours of darkness that she had spent on 
Caldon Hill, but Mary said she heard so many things 
that she did not feel alone at all. She heard the 
drops of water as they were made, and heard the 
ears of com filling. 

All this sounded very strange to Mary's mother, 



lO THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

but she smiled at her little girl and said, '^ Since you 
heard so much you must have seen much as well. 
Perhaps you even saw the fairies.'' 

^^Oh, yes!" cried Mary, ^^ndeed I did! A 
hundred fairies danced last night to the merry music 
of nine harps!" 

^'What wonderful things my little girl has seen!" 
said her mother. ^^Now you must tell me all that 
happened to pay me for hunting and missing you all 
through the long night. " 

^^Let me climb up into your lap, then, mother, and 
I'll tell you what the fairies said. I'll tell you all the 
wonderful things I heard." 

So Mary's mother cuddled her little girl close in 
her arms and Mary began: 

^'The fairies were all such busy little people. 
Some played with the water-drops and rolled them 
down the hill to turn the great wheel for the Miller. 
They said there had been no water since the first of 
May, so the poor miller could grind no wheat for the 
farmers, but as soon as he saw the water in the morn- 
ing what a busy man he would be. They laughed 
to themselves to think how the Miller would laugh 
till he cried when he saw the water rise and turn his 
wheel once more. 

" But this was not all the fairies did by half. Some 
caught the little winds that were whistling over the 
hill, and put them to their mouths, like horns, blowing 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE II 

on them so sharp and shrill. With every blow of the 
horn the winds went merrily down to where a poor 
old blind woman Hved. 

^^She was very poor and raised com to make her 
living, but this year the com had not grown well at all. 
Mildew had come upon the stalks and kept them 
from growing stiff and strong. The fairies sent the 
winds to blow every speck of mildew from the corn. 

^^ Though the poor old woman's life was sad and 
lonely she was merry enough the next morning, when 
she found every stalk of her com perfectly clean of 
mildew. But even this was not all the work the 
fairies did, mother," said Mary cuddling closer. 

'' Still not all they did ? What next ?" her mother 
smiled. 

'^From somewhere the fairies came with their 
hands full of brown linseed and threw it all down 
from the hills into one field that belonged to a poor 
lame man, who made his living by spinning and 
weaving for people. 

'^The fairies laughed and shouted to each other, 
as they threw the seed in handfuls, which they said 
would be growing in the weaver's field by sunrise. 

"The flax from which the poor old lame man 
spun his thread had not been growing well at all. 
It had been pretty dwindling and sickly for many 
weeks. The weaver's laugh would be long and 
loud when he saw his field full of flowers. 



12 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

"Then the funniest thing happened — so funny 
that I laughed aloud and frightened every fairy oflf 
the top of the hill in a twinkling. 

'^ A Brownie, with long whiskers on his chin, spoke 
up and said that he had spun all the tow he had into 
a piece of cloth, but he wanted some more tow to 
spin a little sheet for Mary and an apron for her 
mother. Do you wonder I laughed?" cried Mary. 

''That funny, little fellow wanted to make a sheet 
for my little bed and an apron for you, but I am 
sorry that I laughed, for every fairy vanished. Not 
one was left. I was all alone on the top of Caldon 
Hill. 

''It was no longer pleasant up there, for the fog 
rose so thick and cold and gray I could not see any- 
thing but the stones covered with moss that lay close 
about me, so I ran home as fast as I could. " 

"You don't suppose you could have dreamed all 
these wonderful things that the fairies did?" asked 
Mary's mother, when the little girl's story was 
finished. 

"Oh, no, mother!" cried Mary. "I know it was 
not all a dream, for as I came down the hill I heard 
the jolly miller laugh, and saw his busy wheel go 
merrily round. Then, too, I peeped into the poor 
old blind woman's corn field, and saw the stalks of 
corn, that had been covered with mildew, standing 
stiff and green. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 3 



(C 



^I even walked down past the weaver's field 
before I came home, and, though I did not see the 
flax high in his garden, I saw him standing at his 
gate with such a happy look in his eyes. I knew 
the fairy seeds were growing well. 

"Now I have told you everything I saw and heard, 
mother," said Mary^ "so will you tuck me away in 
my little bed, for I am as tired and sleepy as I can be. " 



THE FAIRIES OF CALDON LOW 

The Play 

Dramatis PersoTUK 
Mary 

Mary's Mother 
The Mhler 
The Blind Woman 
Fairies 

The Lame Weaver 
The Brownie 

Mary I never went as far from home as this 
before. What will Mother think? But now I am 
so near the top of the hill, I'll go on and see what 
there is to be seen and hear what there is to be heard 
up there. I must remember all I see and hear to 
tell Mother, for I don't think she ever climbed as 
high as this. Here I am at last all out of breath. 
I wonder how our house will look from here. I have 
often looked up here from our garden and wondered 
how it would seem to be up so high. Now I know. 
Oh, I did not know before that the beautiful golden 
sunshine fell like rain on our little village. It is 
falling on our house and garden this minute, a lovely, 
shining shower, Hark! There's a sound I do not 
14 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 5 

know. It is like merry laughing and sweet singing, 
like some one whistling, like some one tooting a horn 
too. Let me listen a moment. Oh, now I know. 
It is the merry winds at play. Listen! There's 
another strange sound. Now what is that, I wonder ? 
Like the babbling of laughing brooks. 

Fairy You'll never be able to guess, for you are 
a little Earth Child, aren't you? 

Mary Yes, and I do beheve you are a fairy, 
though I never saw one before; but you look just 
as I'd expect a fairy to look. Are you ? 

Fairy Yes, and there are a hundred more like 
me, who will be here in a moment to dance upon the 
grass in this beautiful silvery moonlight. Before 
they come, I'll answer any questions you'd Hke to 
ask about what you have seen or heard from this 
very high place. 

Mary I was trying to guess — just as you came 
up — what that could be which sounded like the 
babbling of laughing brooks. 

Fairy Not far from here is the place where all 
the drops of water are made for the valley your home 
is in. That babbling noise you hear is the filling 
of the drops. 

Mary You'll have to tell me more, good fairy. 
Since you have been talking, I have heard another 
strange sound. What can that be? 

Fairy What does it sound like to you? 



1 6 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Mary As much like the shelling of peas or beans 
or corn as anything, though I see no garden near. 

Fairy Not in sight, but not far from here is the 
place where the ears of com are filled with big, fat 
yellow kernels. It is a very nice job — this filling 
the ears of corn — for each kernel must fit exactly 
into its little white satin bed. 

Mary Oh, Ksten, Ksten! Do you hear that 
sweet, sweet music? It is so very soft it must be 
far away. 

Fairy But coming nearer all the time, for it is 
the music of the nine harps to which the fairies are 
to dance. 

Mary Oh, see those dear little fairies over there ! 
They seem as busy as bees in June. With what 
are they playing ? Can you see ? 

Fairy I know with what they are playing, but 
let us walk over near them, so you can see for yourself. 

Mary They are playing with waterdrops ! I can 
hardly believe my eyes! And rolling them down 
hill, as we would marbles. Why, I wonder? 

Fairy Ask one of them. He'll be glad to tell 
you. 

Mary I see you are very busy, good fairies, but 
I cannot see what you are doing. Will you tell me ? 
Or don't you wish any of the Earth people to 
know? 

First Fairy It is no secret, little girl. We are 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 7 

trying to help the good Miller out of his troubles. 
There has been no rain since the first of May, so there 
has been no water to turn the great wheel. 

Mary And when the great wheel can not turn 
the Miller can grind no wheat for the farmers. I 
have heard my Father talking about it. 

Second Fairy So we are rolling these waterdrops 
down the hill to him. 

Third Fairy When he sees the water rise in the 
morning, what a busy man he'll be. 

Mary And what a happy man, too, I guess. 

Fourth Fairy How he will laugh when he sees 
his great wheel turning once more! 

Fifth Fairy Laugh? Indeed he will laugh till 
he cries. Now, fairies, that is water enough. We 
have done all we can for the Miller. Who else is 
there that needs us? 

First Fairy I could hardly wait to finish our 
work for the Miller to tell you of that poor old blind 
woman who raises com to make a living. 

Second Fairy Is she ill ? 

First Fairy No; but this year her com has not 
done at all well. 

Third Fairy Do you know what keeps it from 
growing ? 

First Fairy Mildew has come upon the stalks 
and kept them from growing stiff and strong. It 
must be taken off so the corn can grow. 



1 8 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Fourth Fairy What is the best way to take it oflf 
without hurting the com, I wonder? 

Fijth Fairy The wmd must do it for us. Not 
a strong enough wind to break the com down, but a 
wind that will whip the mildew from every stalk 
and leave it perfectly clean. Then it will have a 
chance to grow stiff and strong, as it should. 

First Fairy These little winds that come whistling 
over the hills are the very ones we want. Let us all 
catch some of them. 

Mary Oh ! Oh ! How that frightened me ! What 
was it? So sharp and shrill! 

Second Fairy Some of the fairies are putting 
the winds to their lips and blowing them like horns. 
Then they set the winds free and they go merrily 
down to whip the mildew off from that poor old blind 
woman's sickly com. 

Second Fairy That poor old lady's life is so sad 
and lonely! We fairies are all so sorry for her and 
try to help her all we can. 

Mary She'll be merry enough to-morrow moming, 
I guess, when she finds every stalk with the thick 
mildew, that kept it from growing, all gone. 

Third Fairy Do any of you know of any one else 
who needs help that we can give ? 

Mary I know some one who has had a great deal 
of trouble all summer, but I fear it would take too 
long to help him. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 9 

Fourth Fairy Tell us about him, little girl. You 
know we fairies are able to do many things in a short 
time that Earth people have to take a long time to do. 
Whom do you know? Let us hear. 

Mary Oh, I'll be so glad if you can do anything 
for him. He is a poor lame man who makes his 
living by spinning and weaving for people. He has 
one large field in which he can raise all the flax he 
needs for his thread, but for many weeks now the 
flax has been dwindling and sickly. It has not been 
doing well at all. Of course, if his flax does not grow 
he has nothing of which to make thread for his weav- 
ing. He has no other way to earn any money. 

Second Fairy Oh, ho! Such an easy thing for 
us to do. Gather handfuls of the brown linseed, 
all you fairies, and throw it down into that field at 
the left as fast as you can. More! More! fairies — 
handfuls of it — until there is not room for another 
seed ! 

Mary But will it not take many weeks to grow 
up and ripen? I am afraid the frost will come 
before it does. 

Third Fairy Ho! Ho! How little she knows 
of the way we fairies do things. That seed will be 
growing in the weaver's field before the sun is up 
to-morrow. 

Mary You don't know how happy the poor lame 
weaver will be. His laugh will be louder than the 



20 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Miller's, for he is so poor. When his flax failed him 
he had nothing left. 

Fourth Fairy He'll see his field full of strong, 
healthy plants in full blossom as soon as the sun is 
up to-morrow, if that will make him happy. 

Brownie I want some more ! I want some more ! 
I have spun all I have, but it isn't enough. I want 
some more ! 

{Mary laughs aloud.) 

Fifth Fairy Sh! Sh! If you laugh so loud 
you'll frighten every fairy off the hill in a twinkling. 
See them running now. The fairies are afraid of 
Earth people. We did not know you were one 
until you laughed. 

Mary I am sorry, but who could help laughing 
at such a funny little man with such long whiskers 
on his chin? Of what does he want more, do you 
suppose ? 

Fifth Fairy What, is it you want. Brownie, and 
what have you been spinning? 

Brownie I need some more tow. I have spun 
all I had into a piece of cloth, but I want some 
more. 

Sixth Fairy What are you going to do with all 
that cloth. Brownie, if I give you more tow to spin ? 

Brownie I mean to make a sheet for Mary's little 
bed and a big white apron for her Mother. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 21 

{Mary laughs louder than before. The last of the 
fairies and the Brownie vanish.) 

Mary Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I have frightened 
them all away now. I am sorry I laughed, but how 
could I help it at that funny little fellow? Fancy 
his making a sheet for me and an apron for Mother. 
Not a fairy is left. Everyone has gone and I am 
alone on the top of the hill. I do not find it pleasant 
up here any longer. I do not like to be alone with 
no one to talk to, and the fog is rising so thick and 
cold and gray that I can see nothing except the moss- 
covered stones that lie very near me. There seems 
nothing more for me to hear or see, so I'll run 
home to Mother. Poor Mother! She has been 
worr)dng, I fear, while I have been having so good 
a time. 

{Mary starts down hill,) 

Hark! Who is laughing so merrily and — Listen! 
There it is again. 

(iiZ"a, ha! Ha, ha! is heard in the distance,) 

Mary And what can that roaring be I hear? 
Oh, now I know. The Miller is so happy over the 
raindrops the fairies rolled down the hill to turn his 
great mill wheel, and the roaring I hear is the busy 
mill wheel as it goes merrily round, grinding the 
farmer's wheat. Now I'll go round by the poor old 



22 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELll^VE 

bKnd woman's cornfield, and see if the winds did 
their work for her as well as the waterdrops did theirs 
for the Miller. Yes, to be sure they have, for there 
stand the very same cornstalks that were covered 
with mildew only last night, now stiff and green as 
any com need to be. How happy she must be! 
I'll go on down past the lame weaver's field. I hope 
he has fared as well as the Miller and the blind 
woman, for he needs help even more than they. Oh, 
the fence is too high for me to see into his field! 
Now I'll not know whether his flax is growing or not. 
But — look! Wlio is that, leaning on the gate ? The 
weaver himself, I do believe. It is the weaver him- 
self. Though I do not know him well enough to 
ask about his flax, I'll walk past and I can tell by the 
way he looks whether the seeds the fairies planted 
are doing well or no. I never before saw so happy 
a look in his eyes. He'd not look like that if his seeds 
were not doing well. Here I am at home once more. 
It seems as if I had been away a long time. There 
is Mother at the gate now watching for me. She 
has been worrying too, I fear. 

Mother Mary, child, where have you been since 
yesterday afternoon? Don't you know Father and 
Mother were worried almost to death about you? 
We feared some harm had befallen our little girl, 
when it grew dark, and still you did not come. As 
soon as I missed you, I called you over and over 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 23 

again. Then when Father came home we looked 
every place we could think of for you. We were 
hunting you nearly all night and did not sleep a 
wink. Don't ever stay away so long again, Mary. 
Now tell Mother where you have been all this 
time. 

Mary I climbed to the top of Caldon Hill, Mother, 
and I am sorry I made you and Father worry so 
much about me. I was having so good a time, I 
forgot to come home — forgot it was growing 
late and forgot you would be wondering why I 
did not come. I'm so sorry, Mother. Will you 
forgive me? Indeed I did not mean to hurt you 
and Father so. 

Mother That is Mother's good little girl — my 
own Mary. I know you will never do it again. 
But tell Mother what there was to be seen at the 
top of the hill that made you forget to come home 
to us, even when it grew dark. I should think 
Mother's little girl would have been lonely all those 
long hours, when it was dark. Were you not afraid, 
all alone, on the top of that high hill? 

Mary Oh, Mother! You hear so many things 
up there that you do not hear down here. Listening 
to all those strange sounds kept me from being lonely. 
I did not feel as if I were alone a moment. 

Mother Has Mother never heard any of these 
sounds? May Mother hear about them? 



24 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Mary Did you ever hear the little drops of water 
being made, Mother? 

{Mother smiles and shakes her head.) 

Mary I did, and I heard them filling the ears of 
corn with kernels. 

Mother What a strange sound that must have 
been! Since you heard much you must have seen 
much as well. Perhaps my little girl even saw the 
fairies. 

Mary Oh, yes! Indeed I did, a hundred fairies. 

Mother As many as that? 

Mary A hundred fairies danced last night on 
the green grass in the moonlight to the sweetest 
music I ever heard — played on nine harps. 

Mother What wonderful things my little girl 
has seen! Now, begin at the beginning and tell 
Mother everything that happened to pay me for 
hunting and missing you all through the long night. 

Mary Then let me climb into your lap, Mother. 
Cuddle your Mary close in your arms. 

Mother Mother loves to hold her little girl so. 
Now we are ready for your story. 

Mary Oh, Mother, I am so tired and sleepy I 
can't keep my eyes open. I want to tell you every- 
thing I saw and heard, but I can't hold my head up. 

Mother Of course you can't, Mother's tired 
little girl. You shall save it all to tell when Father 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 2$ 

comes home to-night. He will want to hear about 
all these wonderful things you saw, too. Mother 
will tuck you away in your little white bed and there 
you may sleep as long as you wish. 



THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH 
The Story 

The spring of the year had come in the little town 
of Killingworth. The birds were building their 
nests, singing as they worked, songs that God had 
taught them. 

The buds on the branches were swelling and the 
little streams were running down the hillside, laughing 
and singing on their way. 

The robin and blue-bird were down in the 
orchards, singing their merriest tunes. 

The sparrows chirped the only song they knew. 

The hungry crows were off by themselves — a 
great crowd of them — cawing every minute for 
something to eat. 

The farmers were out in the fields ploughing and 
getting the earth ready to plant their crops. They 
did not welcome the birds as we do, for they thought 
them the most dreadful of thieves. 

Robins and blue-birds like cherries and strawberries 

\ far too well. 

\ The crows helped themselves to the corn as soon 

as it was planted. 

The farmers were afraid their crops would be 
26 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE: 27 

spoiled by the birds, so they called a meeting of all 
the men to decide what was best to do. 

Most of the farmers thought the only thing to do 
was to offer to pay so much for every dead bird 
brought them. They had tried to frighten the birds 
away with scare-crows, but the saucy things perched 
on his shoulders and even his tattered coat, flapping 
in the wind, did not alarm them. 

All the town were on their way to this meeting 
where they should decide what was best to be done 
with the birds. 

First came the Judge, who lived in the big white 
house with the red roof and the great pillars. The 
Judge walked slowly down the street to the new 
Town Hall, where the meeting was to be held. 

Next came the minister, who cut off the poor daisies' 
heads with his swinging cane, as he came down the 
lane. 

He was a good man, I have no doubt, but he was 
not gentle-hearted. 

He thought it fine sport to kill the beautiful deer 
that bounded through the woods. There was not 
enough love in his heart for either man or beast. 

Then, from the school-house on the hill came the 
teacher, watching the soft, white clouds as he walked 
on, thinking of many things. 

After the teacher came the Deacon, dressed, as he 
always was, in a suit of black, with the whitest of 



28 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

neckties. The Deacon went slowly, for he was a 
very large, heavy man. 

The people of the village thought there never was 
anyone so wise as the Deacon, and that he might 
never be forgotten they had named a street in town 
after him. 

All these men of whom I have told you, with the 
farmers from the country round, came together in 
the new Town Hall. 

The Judge sat upon the platform and led the meet- 
ing. Many people spoke, telling what they thought 
should be done to the birds. 

It seemed as if the birds did not have a friend in all 
that crowd. 

They all talked as if they were bitter enemies of 
the poor little birds. 

Man after man got up and told of the dreadful 
things the birds did. 

When they had all said their say the teacher stood 
upon his feet to tell what he thought. He trembled 
and was half afraid to talk before all these people, 
but he knew what he had to say was the right thing 
to say, so he spoke out in a clear strong voice. 

He made up his mind that they should neither 
laugh nor frown him down. 

^^If you kill the sweet singers of the woods," he 
began, ''you will be like a wicked king who once 
drove all of the poets from his kingdom. When 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 29 

people are troubled and sad the birds make sweet 
music for us, as David, the shepherd boy, once did 
for Saul, a great king. 

^^Have you the heart," he asked them, "to kill 
the thrush who sings from the top of the tallest pine- 
tree, as soon as it is light ? 

"Or the oriole who swings his nest in the elm-tree ? 

"Or the blue- jay who chatters noisily as he eats? 

"Or the dainty little blue-bird who balances on the 
top-most branch and fills the neighborhood with 
sweetest music ? 

"Or the linnet? 

"Or the meadow-lark? 

"Or any that live in nests and have been taught 
to sing by God Himself? 

"Why are you killing them?" he cried. 

"To save a handful of wheat or rye or barley, that 
they might scratch up with their busy feet, as they 
hunt worms after a rain?" 

"To save a few cherries that are not half so sweet 
as the songs the birds sing, while they feast on them ? 

"Do you never think," asked the teacher, "what 
wonderful little creatures birds are? 

"Do you never think who made them and who 
taught them the songs they sing, sweeter than any 
music we can make? 

"Do you never think of their little homes in the 
tree-tops as half-way houses on the road to Heaven ? 



30 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

^^ Every morning when the sun peeps through the 
leaf curtains of the woods, the birds are so happy 
because another day has followed the dark night, and 
they can sing again. 

^' Would you like to think of your woods and or- 
chards without birds? With none but empty nests 
in the trees? 

^^Will the bleating of the sheep and the mooing 
of the cows make up for the songs you used to hear, 
when the birds followed the teams home to your 
doors ? 

^^ Would you rather hear the insects buzzing in the 
hay? Is the grasshopper's squeaky voice pleasanter 
in your ears than the meadow-lark's sweetest songs ? 

^' You call the birds thieves and say they steal from 
you all your crops. I tell you the birds are the best 
policemen you could have on your farms. If they 
did not kill and eat and drive away grubs and harmful 
insects all your crops would be destroyed. 

'^Even the crow, that you think the blackest thief 
of all, crushes the beetle, the slug and the snail that 
would eat every green thing in your garden. 

"How can I teach your children to be gentle, to 
help the weak, to love life which God gives, when 
they know you think it right to do so cruel a thing as 
this?" 

When the teacher finished speaking, the farmers 
laughed and nodded, whispering among themselves. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 3 1 

The teacher's pleading for the birds did no good. 
They decided to kill all the birds and even pay the 
price for every dead crow brought to the Town Hall. 
Then came sad and dreadful days when, in the fields 
and orchards the poor little feathered things fell 
dead with the blood-stains on their pretty breasts. 
Some were hurt cruelly, but not killed. 

These crept away out of sight to sufifer and at last 
to die. Many young birds in the nests whose father 
and mother were killed, starved to death, for there 
was no one to bring them food. 

When the hot days of summer came all the birds 
were dead. 

Down in the orchards hundreds of caterpillars 
ate the leaves on the trees. In the fields and gardens 
insects crawled about, eating their fill, until not a 
green thing was anywhere to be seen. 

Now the birds were gone, there was no one to stop 
all these bugs and insects that do so much harm to 
trees and gardens. 

The trees along the streets were so eaten up that 
the worms often dropped down upon some woman's 
bonnet or gown, who shook them off with a scream. 

The farmers soon saw that killing the birds had 
been a very great mistake. They changed the law, 
but that did little good, for it could not bring the 
dead birds back to life. 

They could do nothing that fall, but be sorry that 



32 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

they had ever thought so cruel a thing was right. 
The next spring it was ordered that birds should be 
brought from all the country round in little wicker 
cages. 

Then a great wagon was trimmed with evergreen 
branches, on which were hung these wicker cages 
full of singing birds. 

Down the street came the wagon with its strange 
load, and then, by order of the Mayor the door of 
every cage was opened, setting free the little prisoners, 
who flew at once to the woods or fields or orchard. 
Each chose the place he loved the best. 

As the birds went, they sang so loudly it seemed 
as if their little throats would burst. 

Those who hved that day in Killingworth said 
that sweeter music had never been heard. 

From that day to this, the sunny farms and orchards 
of Killingworth have been full of singing birds. 



THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH 
The Play 

Dramatis Persons 
Schoolmaster 
Almira 
Farmers 

Group of Women 
Mayor 
Judge 
Minister 
Deacon 

Scene I 
{Schoolmaster and Almira^ walking together.) 

Schoolmaster The spring of the year has come 
again to our little town of EjUingworth. 

Almira And isn't it a beautiful time of year, when 
we can watch the birds, building their nests, singing 
as they work? 

Schoolmaster Why are the birds' songs so much 
sweeter than any we are able to learn, I wonder? 

Almira Because God taught them the songs they 
sing, I think. See how the buds on the trees are 
swelling. They grow larger almost while you watch 
them. 

33 



34 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Schoolmaster And listen ! How the brooks laugh 
and sing as they run down the hill. Let us walk 
towards the orchard. We'll find the robins and 
bluebirds down there, singing their merriest tunes. 

Almira Even the poor little sparrows are trying 
their best to sing in this great bird chorus. Hear 
them! Chirping the only song they know. 

Schoolmaster I believe crows must be hungry 
all the time. See! that great crowd of them off by 
themselves, cawing every moment for something to eat. 

Almira There are some of the farmers in the 
fields. Let us go over and have a chat with them. 

Schoolmaster We must not keep them talking 
long, for their busy time has begun. This is the 
time to plough and get the earth ready to plant their 
crops. 

Almira Good afternoon, Farmer Hill. 

{Farmer Hill takes off his hat.) 

Farmer Good Day to you. Miss Almira. It does 
my old ears good to hear your voice once more. 
(Bows to Schoolmaster.) 

Almira It is good of you to say that, Farmer Hill, 
but there are sweeter voices than mine to be heard 
to-day. We have been taking a long walk, just to 
Hsten to the birds and see all the tender green things. 

Farmer The tender green things look good to 
farmers' eyes, too, but the song of birds is not as sweet 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 35 

in our ears as in yours. We do not welcome the 
birds as you do. 

Schoolmaster But what would a spring be without 
the birds? 

Farmer We'd have more cherries and strawberries 
if we had no robins and bluebirds, for the birds like 
them far too well, and take all they can eat, without 
so much as saying, ^'By your leave!" We farmers 
think the birds are the most dreadful thieves we 
have to look out for. The crows are even worse 
than the robins and bluebirds — for they help them- 
selves to the com as soon as it is planted. We farmers 
had so much stolen last year that we were afraid all 
our crops would be spoiled. So we have called a 
meeting at the Town Hall for to-night. All the 
farmers and townspeople are coming. I suppose 
you will be there? 

(Schoolmaster nods assent.) 

We shall decide then what is best to do. 

Almira What do you think can be done ? 

Farmer Most of the farmers think there is only 
one thing to do. 

Schoolmaster And that? 

Farmer Offer to pay so much, a few cents, per- 
haps, for every dead bird brought to the Town Hall. 

Almira Oh! Horrible! Horrible! What a cruel 
thing even to think of doing. 



36 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Schoolmaster It will not be a good thing for our 
children — pay them for doing what they have been 
taught is very wrong to do. 

Farmer It seems as if we had tried every other 
way we could think of. We have put scare-crows 
up in the fields to frighten the birds, the most dreadful 
looking things, too — terrible enough to scare people. 

Almira And weren't the birds afraid of them ? 

Farmer Afraid of them? The saucy things 
perched on the scare-crows' shoulder. Even his 
tattered coat, flapping in the wind, did not frighten 
them. 

Schoolmaster We must not stay longer, for we 
are keeping you from your work. Good afternoon. 

Almira Good afternoon. Farmer Hill. 

Farmer Good-by, and come again when you are 
out for a walk. I'll see you at the meeting to-night, 
I hope. We need all the men we can get, to help us 
decide how to protect our crops against the thieving 
birds. 

Schoolmaster I'll come to your meeting, but I'll 
tell you before hand that I am on the birds' side. 

Farmer Very well, but I am afraid you'll stand 
alone. 

{All three cry ''Good-hy!^' again,) 

{Almira and Schoolmaster walk off. Farmer Hill 

goes home.) 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 37 



Scene II 

Time: Evening of same day. 

Place: Street corner near Town Hall. 

(Group of women standing on street corner watching 

men walking on other side, on their way to the 

Town Hall.) 

First Woman Where can all these men be going 
to-night ? 

Second Woman Don't you remember ? A meeting 
was called in the Town Hall to decide how to keep the 
birds from stealing everything the farmers can raise. 

Third Woman Oh, to be sure! It looks as if 
all the men in town were going to be there. 

Fourth Womun And all the farmers from all the 
country round, from the number of horses tied in 
front of the Town Hall. 

Fifth Woman How slowly the Judge walks down 
the street. 

Sixth Woman Where does the Judge live ? 

First Woman In that big white house, with the 
red roof and the great pillars. 

Second Woman Here comes the Minister down 
the lane. 

Third Woman He is cutting off all the poor 
daisies' heads with his swinging cane. 



38 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Fourth Woman I suppose he is a very good man, 
but he is not at all gentle-hearted, as it seems a min- 
ister ought to be. 

Fijth Woman If he were as gentle-hearted as 
some, he'd not think it such fine sport, every Fall, to 
kill the beautiful deer that bound through our woods. 

First Woman I don't think he has love enough 
in his heart for either man or beast. 

Second Woman The Schoolmaster is going, too. 
He has just come out of the school-house and started 
down the hill. 

Third Woman There's a man who would not 
cut off even the heads of the daisies. He loves them 
too well. 

Fourth Woman I believe he is watching the clouds 
now, as he walks. How soft and white they are, 
to be sure. 

Fifth Woman The Deacon will be late if he does 
not hurry. 

Sixth Woman Then he'll have to be late, for he 
is too large and heavy to walk any faster than he 
always does. 

First Woman Did you ever see the Deacon 
dressed in anything but a suit of black, with the 
whitest of neckties? 

Second Woman, Never — since the day the street 
by the church was named for him. Before that he 
did not dress in a black suit, except Sundays. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 39 

Third Woman Why was a street named for him ? 
Is he so very rich ? Or so very good ? 

Fourth Woman The people of the village think 
there never was any one so wise as the Deacon. They 
do not wish the children who are growing up to 
forget him, so they called a street by his name. 

Fijth Woman. The men have all gone into the 
meeting now. There isn't another one in sight. 

Sixth Woman Yes, we have seen all there is to 
see. We might as well go home. 

{All walk off, separating as each comes to her own 

house.) 



Scene III 

Time: Directly jollowing the close 0} last scene. 
Place: Inside of Town Hall, 

(Judge on platform leads meeting,) 

Judge This meeting will please come to order, 
gentlemen. Fellow citizens, we have met here to- 
night to hear reports as to the harm the birds do our 
crops every year, and to decide upon some way to 
protect ourselves from these thieves, who steal from 
us every day — from May till September. The 
meeting is now open to any one who wishes to speak. 



40 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

First Farmer Mr. Chairman, my corn is no 
sooner in the ground than whole flocks of hungry 
crows swoop down and eat their fill. They leave 
very little seed to come up. The most hideous scare- 
crows I can make do not keep them away for more 
than a few hours. Crows are sharp enough to find 
out very soon that the scarecrows are not alive, and 
can do them no harm. Then the saucy things perch 
on the scarecrow's shoulders, cawing for something 
more to eat. Of com alone I lose more than half 
my crop because of these noisy thieves. 

Second Farmer The blackbirds are quite as bad 
as the crows. I, too, have tried scarecrows, and one 
day found the birds had been bold enough to build 
their nest in the breast of his tattered coat. 

Third Farmer The crows and blackbirds are no 
worse than the robins, bluebirds and dozens of other 
birds. Nor is com the only thing they steal. They 
scratch up my wheat and rye and barley almost as 
fast as I can sow it. 

Fourth Farmer You remember the cherries from 
my trees are much talked of and called for in the city 
market. 

Someone Indeed we do remember your cherries! 

Another There are none finer to be had on any 
tree in any orchard. 

Fourth Farmer So the robins have found, and 
so I was not able to send more than a third of what 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 4! 

I usually ship to the city. The robins even built 
their nests in the tree that had the finest and sweetest 
cherries, so they could feast at their own doorway. 
What they did not eat they spoiled for any one else 
by taking a bite and leaving it to decay. 

Fifth Farmer I do not raise cherries for market, 
but you may have heard of my strawberries. 

Someone. Indeed we have, and eaten them, too. 

One The largest and sweetest I ever tasted. 

One Delicious ! 

Fijth Farmer The robins like my strawberries 
quite as well as Farmer Brown's cherries, and help 
themselves quite as freely. Though they can't nest 
in my strawberry vines, they seem to spend most of 
their time there feasting on my berries from morning 
till night. Between what they eat and what they 
spoil I can not fill more than half my orders from the 
city. 

Judge You have heard several reports of the 
harm the birds do our crops. There is no question 
but what they are the worst kind of thieves, stealing 
openly and before our very eyes, crops that we'd 
quickly arrest and jail men and boys for taking. 
I do not know why we should suffer the birds to steal 
on and go unpunished. I do not know why we 
should lose a large part of our crops each year and 
do nothing to stop it. The question for us to decide 
is — What shall we do ? 



42 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Sixth Farmer There is but one way to stop 
them and that is, to kill them. 

Seventh Farmer Offer a bounty for birds' heads, 
as we do for wolves' pelts. 

Eighth Farmer Two cents for every dead bird 
brought to the Town Hall would soon help our 
crops. 

Ninth Farmer Put that in the paper, and I promise 
you there'll be more to take to market this summer. 

Tenth Farmer And more money in our pockets, 
too, for the birds pay nothing for all they take. 

Schoolmaster I am not so sure of that. I am 
half afraid to speak before all you people, but the 
poor birds do not seem to have a friend in all this 
Hall but me. You have all talked as if you were 
the bitter enemies of the poor little things. You 
have told of all the dreadful things the birds do, but 
you have not told one good thing they do. Are there 
not some good things to be said of them? Surely 
the birds are not all bad. You have all had your 
say. Now, listen to me, for I know the thing I have 
to say is the right thing to be said. Laugh at me, 
frown on me, if you will, but listen to me, you shall. 

Judge Go on, Mr. Schoolmaster. I am sure 
we are always glad to hear from one who is so good 
a friend to our children. 

Schoolmaster If you carry out your wicked plan, 
and kill these sweet singers of the woods, you will 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 43 

be like an evil king who once drove all the poets 
from his kingdom. The birds are our poets and 
make sweetest music for us when we are troubled 
and sad. So David, the shepherd boy, once did for 
Saul, a great king. As soon as it is light the thrushes 
sing from the top of the tallest pine tree. Have you 
the heart to kill the little singers ? Think of all you 
mean to kill. The oriole, who swings his nest in the 
elm tree ; the blue- jay , who chatters noisily as he eats ; 
the bluebird, who balances on the topmost bough 
and fills the neighborhood with sweetest music; the 
linnet, the meadow-lark; all these and many more, 
who have been taught to sing by God himself, you 
would kill. 

And why are you killing them? To save a 
handful of wheat or rye or barley, that they 
scratch up with their busy feet as they hunt for worms. 
The few cherries you would save are not half as sweet 
as the songs the robins sing while they feast on them. 
Think, I beg of you, what wonderful creatures birds 
are! Remember, I pray you, who made them, who 
taught them the songs they sing, songs so much 
sweeter than any we can sing. Think of their little 
homes in the tree-tops like half-way houses on the 
road to Heaven. If only we could be as happy as 
the birds are every morning when the sun peeps 
through the leafy curtains of the woods. Another day 
has followed the dark night and they can sing again. 



44 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Would you like to think of your woods and 
orchards without birds? Would you like to see 
none but empty nests in the tree-tops? Will the 
bleating of sheep and the mooing of cows make up 
for the songs you used to hear? Would you rather 
hear the insects buzzing in the hay? Is the grass- 
hopper's squeaky voice pleasanter in your ears than 
the meadow-lark's sweet roundelay? You have 
called all the birds thieves and say they steal your 
crops. I tell you there are no better policemen to be 
had on the farm than these same birds. They kill 
and eat and drive away grubs and harmful insects 
that would destroy all your crops. The beetle, the 
slug and the snail would not leave a green thing in 
your garden, did not the crow, whom you call the 
blackest of thieves, crush them to death. 

What do you expect me to teach your children ? To 
be gentle ? To help the weak ? To love life because 
God gives it ? How can I, when they know you think 
it right to do so cruel a thing as this ? I can say no 
more. I thank you for listening. 

{Farmers laugh and whisper among themselves, 
nudging each other. Then) 

One Sounds well. 

Second Farmer The schoolmaster raises no crops. 
Third Farmer He does not earn his living that 
way. If he did, he'd talk very differently. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 45 

Fourth Farmer Then he'd think as we do, that 
we must protect our crops. 

Fijth Farmer And that there is only one way 
to do it. 

J^4dge The question of killing the birds to protect 
our crops has been fully discussed. Those in favor 
of killing the birds, vote by rising. 

{All but schoolmaster stand.) 

Judge It is carried. The birds shall be killed. 

Sixth Farmer On which birds shall we set a price ? 

Judge The crows, anyway, we'll pay a bounty for. 

Seventh Farmer And kill all the others we catch 
at their old tricks of thieving. 

Judge If there is no other business before the 
meeting we are dismissed. 

{All walk out.) 

Scene IV 
Time: Late in same summer. 

{Almira and Schoolmaster out walking.) 

Schoolmaster This is the same walk we took that 
beautiful Spring day, when they decided to do 
that cruel thing, kill the birds. 

Almira Sad and dreadful days have passed since 
then. 



46 THE LAND OL MAKE-BELIEVE 

Schoolmaster In the fields and orchards where 
they sang so gaily that day, they lie dead now. See! 
here is one now under the cherry tree with the blood 
stains still fresh on his pretty breast. 

Almira At least he suffers no more. Some, I know, 
were hurt cruelly, but not killed. What do you 
suppose became of such? 

Schoolmaster Poor little things ! They crept away 
somewhere out of sight, to suffer and at last to die. 

Almira I have tried to feed as many young birds 
left orphans in their nest as I could, but I found a 
nest yesterday with four little ones in it, starved to 
death. Father and mother had been numbered 
with the dead and there was none to bring them 
food. 

Schoolmaster How the poor little things must 
have wondered and watched and waited when the 
father and mother bird came no more. 

Almira I have not seen a Uve bird for days. They 
must all be dead. These hot days of summer seem 
more unendurable without their sweet music. 

Schoolmaster Have you noticed the trees in the 
orchards? The hundreds of caterpillars have eaten 
the leaves until the branches are almost as bare as 
in winter. 

Almira There is not a green thing to be seen in 
the gardens, for the insects have crawled about over 
everything, eating their fill 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 47 

Schoolmaster Now the birds are gone. There 
is no one to stop these bugs and insects that do so 
much harm to trees and gardens. The people will 
see now, perhaps, how much good the birds did in 
return for the little they took. 

{A scream is heard.) 

Almira Hark! What was that? 

Schoolmaster A woman's scream! That woman 
across the street. 

Almira Did something hurt her? 

Schoolmaster Oh, now I see what frightened her! 
She just shook off a worm from her bonnet. The 
trees are so eaten up by worms they must often drop 
down on the passers-by and it happened to fall on her. 

{They meet Farmer Hill.) 

Almira Good afternoon, Farmer Hill. We were 
just looking at your orchards and garden and think- 
ing they did not look as thrifty, now the birds are dead, 
as they did when the birds were alive. 

Schoolmaster It was a mistake, wasn't it, killing 
the birds ? For now bugs and insects have their way 
and they destroy much more than the birds. 

Farmer Hill Yes, we farmers all see now that 
killing the birds was one of the greatest and saddest 
mistakes we ever made. We really had not known 
how many bugs and insects the birds destroyed. 



48 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Bugs and insects that destroy every green thing that 
grows. We have changed the law and we do not 
pay for dead birds any more and have also forbidden 
the shooting of any birds. 

Schoolmaster Changing the law does very little 
good after all, for it will never bring the dead birds 
back to life. 

Farmer Hill We can do nothing this fall. 

Almira But be sorry you thought so cruel a thing 
was right. 

Farmer Hill Next Spring we mean to do some- 
thing. 

Schoolmaster What is your plan? 

Farmer Hill Ah! That is to be a surprise to 
all Killingworth next May Day. It will be a day 
and a night long to be remembered, I hope. 

Almira It's a long while to wait, Farmer Hill. 

Schoolmaster But we'll try to be patient. We 
must be turning towards home now, for the sun is 
low in the sky. 

Farmer Hill Good-by, then, to you both. When 
you come this way again I hope my garden and 
orchards will be better worth looking at. 

{Schoolmaster and Almira go one way, Farmer Hill 

another.) 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 49 



Scene V 

Time: The next spring. 
Place: Streets of Killingworth, 

(Townspeople in streets, talking excitedly,) 

First Woman Which way shall we look for them ? 

Secmtd Woman From which direction are they 
coming ? 

First Man They are coming from the next town 
to the South, so they will have to come along this 
road. 

Third Woman How did they ever get so many 
birds together? 

Second Man A month ago the Mayor of Killing- 
worth ordered that birds should be brought from 
all the country round. He had all the birds brought 
to the next town South of us, so it might be a secret 
from the Killingworth people until today, when he 
means to give us this beautiful surprise. 

Fourth Woman Oh, look! There they are now! 

Fifth Woman Yes, here they come. 

Sixth Woman What a great wagon it is and all 
trimmed with evergreen branches. 

Seventh Woman See all the little wicker cages! 
Dozens and dozens of them hung on the branches. 

Eighth Woman And every cage full of singing 
birds. How good it seems to hear them once more ! 



50 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Third Man The wagon will go down this street 
until it reaches the Town Hall. 

Ninth Woman It's almost there now with its 
strange load. 

Tenth Woman The Mayor is speaking from the 
steps of the Town Hall. I wish we could hear what 
he is saying. 

Fourth Man Sh! Hark! Listen! We can hear. 

Mayor Open the door of every cage. Set all the 
little prisoners free. 

Eleventh Woman Oh, see them go! How glad 
they are to spread their wings again ! 

Twelfth Woman Some are flying at once to the 
wood. 

Thirteenth Woman And some to the fields and 
orchards. I suppose each one will choose the place 
he loves the best. 

Fourteenth Woman Hark! Hear them sing! It 
seems as if their little throats must burst. 

Fifteenth Woinan In all my life I have never 
heard sweeter music than today. 

Sixteenth Woman Hush ! The Mayor is speaking 
again. 

Mayor None of us, I hope, will soon forget this 
day, and as long as there is a Killingworth may our 
sunny farms and orchards ever be full of singing 
birds! 




F. p. 51 



THE PIED PIPER 



THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN 
The Story 

This story is about a little town in Germany, far 
across the sea. All that I am going to tell you hap- 
pened long years ago. Wherever you went in that 
little town you climbed hills. 

All the hills led up — up — up to a big mountain. 

No roof was steeper than the side of this mountain. 
At the foot of the mountain a broad river ran slowly 
on its way to the sea. 

A long time ago the people of this little town were 
greatly troubled with rats. 

The town was full of great, big, dreadful rats. 
There were more rats than people in the town. 

These rats were the boldest things you ever saw. 
They were afraid of nothing and even fought the 
dogs the people set upon them. Every cat who tried 
to catch them they easily killed. Even the poor 
little babies, sleeping in their cradles, were bitten 
by these terrible rats. They lived on the best of 
fare. Whole cheeses disappeared from the vats 
where they were made. 

Cooks screamed for help when the rats jumped 
up and licked the soup from the ladles, as they stirred 

51 



52 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

it in the kettles. They were so strong that several 
of them, working together, split open kegs that held 
salt fish they liked. 

Ladies gave up their parties, because the squealing 
of the rats was louder than the women's voices, as 
they tried to visit. The rats were growing in wonder 
and boldness every day. If something was not done 
very soon, the people could not stay in the town. 

They would be driven out of their homes by the 
rats. So all the people went together to the Town 
Hall to see the Mayor. They told him that they 
didn't think he, nor those who helped him, knew 
very much, or they would think of some way to make 
short work of the rats. 

The people thought they paid the Mayor and his 
men a good salary for taking care of the town. 

They wanted to know if this was the best they 
could do. If they couldn't think of some plan to 
get rid of the rats very soon, the Mayor nor none of 
his men should be paid any more money. More than 
that they would drive the Mayor and his men out of 
town. When the people had said this they all 
marched out of the Town Hall and left the poor 
Mayor and his men to think what could be done. 

They didn't know what to do any more than the 
people did, but they must find a way or be sent 
packing. So the Mayor sat with his head in his 
hands, thinking harder than he ever had before in 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 53 

his life. Just then a gentle tap at the door made 
the Mayor's heart go pitty-pat, because he thought 
every sound he heard meant more rats. But this 
noise was only some one scraping his shoes on the 
mat outside, so the Mayor called to him to come in. 

The strangest visitor you ever saw opened the door. 
The Mayor had never seen any one so tall and thin. 
His eyes were blue as the sky and bright as steel, 
but so small they looked like pin-points. 

The smiles came and went about his lips like 
flashes of sunlight. The gentlest breeze lifted the 
light hair that lay loosely about his shoulders. 

But the coat this strange fellow wore made the 
Mayor open his eyes the widest of all. The long 
queer cut coat that covered him from his heels to his 
head was half red and half yellow. Round his neck 
was a scarf that matched this odd coat. At the end 
of the scarf hung something like a flute. 

They noticed the man's fingers were straying up 
and down the flute all the time as though he would 
like to be playing on it. 

The stranger spoke first, for the Mayor was so 
astonished he could no nothing but stare at his queer 
visitor. He said he had heard that the town was over- 
run with rats. The Mayor nodded sadly that it was. 

The man with the flute offered to rid the town of 
every rat, as he had other towns of ants and bats 
and other things that made trouble. 



54 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

The Mayor jumped to his feet and asked a dozen 
questions at once. Who he was? Where he came 
from? How he was going to do it? And many 
others, for the Mayor was much excited. 

The stranger said that men called him the Pied 
Piper, and that he was able to make all things that 
creep or swim or fly or run follow wherever he chose 
to lead. He asked the Mayor if he would give him 
one hundred dollars for clearing the town of rats. 

The Mayor was willing to promise anything — 
even five thousand dollars — although he did not 
believe the man could make the rats follow him. 
Five thousand dollars, even, would be cheap for 
ridding the town of such a pest, and so the bargain 
was closed. 

The Piper stepped into the street, smiling a little 
to himself. He put the flute to his lips and played 
a strange shrill tune, like nothing any one had heard 
before. As he played, he walked from street to 
street, and out of every house and store he passed, 
the rats came tumbling. 

Big rats and little rats, fat rats and thin ones. 
Rats that were brown and rats that were black. Rats 
so old they were gray. Rats that hobbled and rats 
that frisked gaily along. 

The whole Rat family — fathers, mothers, uncles, 
cousins, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives — fol- 
lowed that strange Piper wherever he went. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 55 

He led them up one street and down another, 
until they came to the bank of the river. Then at 
the water's very edge the Piper stepped quickly aside 
and all those rats tumbled head over heels down 
the bank into the river. 

All but one of those hundreds and hundreds of 
rats were drowned. Just one old rat was saved, 
because he was so big and fat he could not sink, so 
he swam across to the other side of the river and ran 
as if for his life. He never stopped, until he was 
miles and miles away from Hamelin Town. 

Many years after the fat old rat came back and 
told other rats why he and all the Rat family followed 
the Piper wherever he led them. 

He said that the first sound of the flute made all 
the rats think they heard the scraping of fish and the 
pressing of juicy apples for cider. 

As the Piper played on they thought they heard 
pickle jars uncovered and fruit cans opened. And, 
as the strange tune went on, they were sure they 
heard corks drawn from oil casks and butter tubs 
broken open. 

The flute seemed a voice, whispering in their ears, 
'^Be glad, O, Rats! There will always be plenty 
to eat after this. You will never be hungry again. 
So come, munch your big dinner, and crunch your 
fine supper and fill yourself full at your luncheon." 

Just as the food seemed near enough to taste, the 



56 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

cold waters of the river rolled over the old rat, and 
only because he was too fat to sink, did he ever live 
to tell what the flute said to him. 

As soon as all the rats were drowned, the bands 
played their liveliest tunes and the people rang the bells 
so hard they rocked the steeples. Cannons were 
fired and great bonfires were built to celebrate the 
freeing of the town from rats. 

Suddenly the Piper came to the Mayor, as he 
stood in the crowded market place, and asked for his 
hundred dollars. The Mayor and his men looked 
blue, for that seemed a good deal to pay, now the rats 
were gone. 

The Mayor knew the dead rats could not come to 
life, so had no notion of keeping his promise to the 
Piper. The Mayor blustered that the talk about 
a hundred dollars was all a joke. 

He offered the Piper something to eat and drink — 
even a little money — but a hundred dollars for play- 
ing a little tune like that was indeed a huge joke. 
The Piper's face grew very stern. He said he did 
not enjoy that kind of joking. He was in a hurry 
as he had to be in another city by night, so once more 
he asked the Mayor for his hundred dollars that he 
might start on his way. But the Mayor shook his 
head angrily and said not one dollar would he give the 
Piper for his music. 

The strange fellow said that this was the last chance 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 57 

the Mayor should have to keep his promise, and, 
if he did not, the Piper would play another tune, 
the one he always played when people did not treat 
him fairly. 

This threw the Mayor into a great rage, and he 
dared the Piper to do his worst, to play till his old 
flute burst, for all he cared. Did he think to frighten 
the Mayor of Hamelin Town? 

Again the Piper put his flute to his lips and began 
to play another tune, not at all like the tune he played 
to call the rats. It was soft as the gentlest breeze in 
summer. It was sweet as the song of birds. It was 
so strange a tune no words could tell what it was like. 

The Piper had hardly begun to play, when merry 
crowds of children ran to where he stood and followed 
after him as he started down the street. The small 
feet of the Kttle ones pattered along in time with 
the music. 

The wooden shoes some wore made a great clatter- 
ing, as they hurried on after the others. Some little 
hands were clapping for joy. Many busy tongues 
were chattering like the squirrels in the tree-tops. 

The children gathered about the Piper Kke hens 
in the farmyard about one who scatters the grain. 

Some had cheeks as red as roses and curls as yellow 
as gold. Some had eyes as blue as violets and as 
bright as diamonds. Some had teeth Kke snow- 
white pearls. 



58 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Every child in town was in the train that skipped 
and tripped and ran merrily after this wonderful 
music. How they shouted and laughed as they 
followed the Piper wherever he led them. 

The Mayor and his men stood as if turned to 
stone. The same music that set the children's feet 
dancing, chained the feet of the grown-up ones to the 
ground. 

Not one step could the Mayor, or the fathers and 
mothers move to bring their children back. 

As they watched, the Piper turned towards the 
river, and they held their breath for fear their children 
were to follow the rats into the deep waters; but, 
no — the Piper turned again towards the mountain. 

Now their joy was great, because they knew neither 
Piper nor children could ever climb over the top of 
that high hill, so they hoped very soon to see the 
little ones stop. 

But when the Piper and his train reached the 
mountain-side, a wonderful door swung wide open 
and let him in — the children close at his heels. 
When the last little one had gone in, the wonderful 
door swung shut, and neither Piper nor children 
were ever seen again. 

Not a child was left in the town — all had followed 
the Piper save one who was lame. He was not able 
to keep up with the others, so did not reach the 
mountain, until the wonderful door had closed. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 59 

As long as this little fellow lived, he was always 
very sad. The town seemed so dull to him, with all 
his playmates gone. If you asked him why he tried 
to follow the Piper that day he would tell you what 
beautiful things the music of the flute promised to 
all who would come. 

It sang of a land not far away where the ripest 
and juiciest of fruits grew. Flowers of wonderful 
colors blossomed in the garden. The sparrows 
there were bright as peacocks here, and the dogs in 
that land ran more swiftly than our fleetest deer. 

None need fear the honey bees, for they had no 
stings. The horses had wings as strong and swift 
as the eagles. 

The music was sweetest of all to the little lame boy, 
when it whispered that he would be able to run and 
play like other boys. But his lame foot carried 
him too slowly. 

The music stopped as the wonderful door in the 
mountain side closed, before he could reach there, 
and he was left alone, the only child in Hamelin 
Town. 

The Piper's flute was never heard again up and 
down the streets. The wonderful door in the moun- 
tain has never opened from that day to this. 

The children never came back to their homes. 

All because of the Mayor's broken promise to the 
Piper. 



THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN 

The Play 

Dramatis Personoe 
Traveller 
Man He Meets 
Townspeople 
Pied Piper 
Mayor and His Men 
Children 
Lame Boy 
Rats 

Scene I 

Traveller How many miles I am from home. I 
have travelled for many weeks and now I find my- 
self in this little town of Germany. Hamelin, it is 
called. {Looks about.) It seems to be a pretty place 
and I'd like to see more of it — but wherever one goes 
— one must climb a hill. All the streets seem 
to lead up to that big mountain. I never saw any 
roof steeper than the side of that mountain. How 
slowly the river runs at the foot of the mountain. 
It seems in no hurry to reach the sea. Here comes 
some one who lives in the town. I'U tell him what 

a pretty place I think it is and perhaps he will stop 
60 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 6 1 

and talk to me for a moment. {The two meet.) 
What a pretty spot you have for your home. 

Man It is a pretty town — to be sure — and 
all the people who live here love it dearly, but we 
are afraid that we may have to leave it. 

Traveller And why should you have to leave it? 
Is there not enough work to be had here ? 

Man Plenty. More than we can do. 

Traveller Then what can it be that would drive 
you from so pleasant a home? 

Man Rats! We are in great trouble because of 
the rats — and do not know what to do. 

Traveller Rats? So many as to drive you from 
the town? 

Man If we can't find some way to kill or drive 
them away, for the town is full of great, big, dreadful 
rats. There are more of them than there are people 
in this town of ours. 

Traveller Where are all your cats and dogs? 
What are they doing to let the rats run wild ? 

Man These rats are the boldest things I ever 
saw. They even fight the dogs we set upon them, 
and they have killed every cat that tried to catch them. 

Traveller Dreadful! And do they come into 
your houses ? 

Man Indeed they do. Even the poor little 
babies — sleeping in their cradles — have been bitten 
by the terrible things. 



62 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Traveller How can you keep them out of the 
pantries ? I should think they'd get into the food. 

Man Get into it? They carry much of it right 
off. Whole cheeses, big ones too, have been taken 
from the factory where they were made. One 
cook was almost frightened to death, when two great 
rats jumped up and licked the ladle with which she 
was stirring the soup. She screamed so you could 
hear her a block away. 

Traveller I never heard anything like it in my 
life. How strong they must be ! 

Man Strong enough to split open kegs that held 
salt fish they liked. Several rats must have worked 
together to do it. 

Traveller How they must frighten the women and 
children. Some women are even afraid of a little 
mouse. 

Man The ladies have given up altogether the 
pleasant little parties they used to have, for they 
cannot hear themselves above the squealing of the rats. 

Traveller And they grow no less in number? 

Man More and more all the time, and bolder and 
bigger too. Unless something is done very soon we 
cannot stay in the town. It is pretty hard to be 
driven from your home and city by rats. 

Traveller I never would be driven away by them, 

Man But what would you do? 

Traveller Drive them away to be sure. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 63 

Man Yes, but how? That is what we have 
been trying to do for weeks. 

Traveller It is your Mayor's business and the 
men who help him — to find a way to free the city 
of them. Why do you have a Mayor if it is not to 
keep the city as it should be? Get all of the men 
of the town together. Go to the Town Hall and tell 
your Mayor he must do something 

Man I believe you are right. If the town were 
overrun with thieves, we would expect the Mayor 
and police to rid the town of them. Why not rats 
as well? Come. Help me get all the men together 
at once. Let us lose no time. {The two men go 
off together.) 

Scene II 
Place: Mayor's office. 

(Mayor and Men seated at table) 

Mayor (to townsmen who enter room) Good- 
morning, gentlemen. What can I do for you? 

First Man We have come to ask you and your 
men to rid our town of this pest of rats. 

Mayor We? What can we do more than you 
to drive them out ? 

First Man We elected you to take care of the 
town. That is your business. Is this the best you 



64 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

can do? That is what we want to know. We do 
not think you know your business very well if 
you cannot find a way at once to make short work 
of the rats. 

Mayor But, gentlemen, if I knew any way, or 
could think of any, the rats would have been driven 
out long ago. You must know that. 

First Man This we know — that unless you 
do think of some plan very soon that will rid our 
town of this pest — neither you nor your men shall 
be paid another cent of our money. 

Mayor But, my good man — What do — 

Man More than that, if you do not drive the 
rats away we mean to drive you and every one of 
your men out of the town. 

Mayor But wait! What can — 

First Man Now, that we have said our say, we 
will leave you to think what can be done. 

{Townspeople all march out, leaving Mayor and his 
men much perplexed) 

Mayor Do any of you know what we are to do ? 

First Man How should we, any more than those 
men? 

Mayor But they mean what they say. They will 
keep their word if we don't find a way. 

Second Man Yes, we must find a way or they 
will send us packing — that is sure. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 65 

Mayor But what? But how? {Buries his face 
in his hands ^ sits perfectly still thinking — hears 
gentle rap at door — speaks in startled tone,) What's 
that? I am afraid to say, ^^Come in," for it 
only means more trouble for us. Either more dread- 
ful things the rats have done or else more men to tell 
us what we must do. 

{Another gentle rap — scraping of shoes on mat.) 
Mayor (at last calls) Come in ! 

(Stranger enters and as Mayor stares in astonish- 
ment at stranger — men comment among themselves 
an strangefs appearance.) 

First Man The tallest, thinnest man I ever saw. 

Second Man His eyes are as blue as summer 
skies and as bright as steel. 

Third Man But so small they look like pin 
points. 

Fourth Man Watch the smiles come and go 
about his lips. They are like flashes of sunlight. 

Fifth Man There seems to be no breeze in the 
room — does there? And yet something lifts his 
light hair, as it hangs about his shoulders. 

Sixth Man The coat, men — the coat he wears. 
Did you ever see a queerer one? 

Seventh Man Or a longer one, from his head to 
his heels? 



66 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIE\nE 

First Man Do my eyes see aright ? Is it half 
red and half yellow ? 

Second Man The same as the scarf that is tied 
about his neck. 

Third Man That seems to be a flute that hangs 
at the end of his gay scarf. 

Fourth Man See how his fingers stray up and 
down his flute all the time. 

Fifth Man As if he'd like to be playing on it. 
But — listen ! The queer fellow is speaking to the 
Mayor at last. 

Piper They tell me your town is overrun with rats. 

Mayor (nods sadly) What you heard is all too 
true, Stranger. But why have you come to tell 
us what we already know only too well ? 

Piper I have rid other towns of rats and bats 
and ants and all those things which make trouble 
in a place. I can rid your city of every rat in it — 
many as there are. 

Mayor (springs to his feet — asks excitedly) Who 
are you? From where did you come? How are 
you going to do it ? What is your plan ? For how 
much will you do it ? When can you begin ? How 
soon can you begin ? Can you do it at once ? 

Piper Listen, a moment, Your Honor, and V\\ 
tell you all you wish to know. Men call me the 
Pied Piper. I am able to make all things that 
creep or swim, or fly or run, follow me wherever I 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 67 

choose to lead them. If you will pay me one 
hundred dollars I'll promise to clean your town of 
rats. 

Mayor A hundred dollars! What is that to be 
rid of the rats? I am willing to give you almost 
anything. Five thousand, if you do it, though I 
do not believe you can do what you promise. I 
do not believe all those hundreds of rats will follow 
you. 

Piper Five thousand, did you say, Your Honor? 

Mayor Five thousand was what I said, and even 
that will be a cheap price to pay for getting rid of 
such a pest as we have had for weeks. 

Piper It is a bargain then. 

Mayor The five thousand shall be yours the 
moment the town is rid of every rat in it. 

{Piper steps to door and passes into street^ play- 
ing shrill tune on his flute. Mayor and his meUy all 
townspeople rush into street to watch,) 

First Man Look! Look! The rats are surely 
following — as he said they would. 

Second Man See them! Tumbling out of those 
houses. 

Third Man And watch them scurry out of those 
stores. 

Fourth Man It must be his strange music that 
calls them. 



68 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Fifth Man I never knew before that rats liked 
music. What do you suppose the music sounds 
like in their ears? 

Sixth Man At the rate they are following it 
must sound like the scraping of good salt fish — and 
the pressing of juicy apples for cider. 

Seventh Man No doubt to some the music sounds 
like the uncovering of pickle jars and fruit cans being 
opened. 

Eighth Man Or corks drawn from oil casks and 
butter tubs broken open. 

Ninth Man Perhaps the music sings to them 
that there will always be plenty to eat after this and 
that they'll never be hungry again. 

Tenth Man They are running now as though 
the music bade them munch their big dinner and 
crunch their fine supper and fill themselves full at 
their luncheon. 

First Man Did you ever see so many rats ? 
More coming all the time. 

Second Man All kinds of rats — big ones and 
little ones, fat ones and thin ones. 

Third Man And so many different colors. Some 
are brown and some are as black as a coal. The 
gray ones must be the old ones. 

Fourth Man Yes, some are so old they hobble, 
while the young ones frisk gaily along. 

Fijth Man That strange piper has the whole 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 69 

Rat Family at his heels — fathers, mothers, uncles, 
cousins, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives. 

Sixth Man He has been up or down every street 
in town. Now where will he take them, I wonder? 

Seventh Man To the river! To the bank of 
the river! He means to drown them of course. 

Eighth Man Yes, see! He has stepped quickly 
aside when he has gotten them to the water's edge. 

People {shout) Over they go! Every one of them! 
Down the bank into the river! Hurrah! Hurrah! 

Ninth Man Now the rats are all drowned. At 
last our town is rid of its pest. Our homes are so we 
can live in them again. 

Tenth Man Let us have the bands play their 
liveliest tunes. {Some march about room, drumming 
and singing to imitate hand.) 

First Man Ring the bells in all the steeples! 
{Several imitate ding dong of hells,) 

Second Man Louder! Louder! Ring them so 
hard the steeples rock. 

Third Man Fire the cannon! {Several imitate 
boom! hoomi oj cannon,) 

Fourth Man Come! Let us build bonfires as 
high as the houses. We can't do too much to cele- 
brate the drowning of those dreadful rats. 

Piper {comes up to Mayor and his men — stand- 
ing together in crowded street) I have kept my prom- 
ise, Your Honor, and I have come for my hundred 



70 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

dollars. I'll not ask the five thousand you prom- 
ised, because you thought the rats would not 
follow me. 

{Mayor and men look dubiously at each other,) 

Mayor (to men) It seems a good deal to pay, 
now the rats are gone. 

First Man The rats are dead. They cannot 
come back if we do not pay him. 

Second Man Don't pay him. Tell him the hun- 
dred dollars was a joke. 

Mayor Ha! Ha! So you thought I meant that 
little joke about the hundred dollars, did you ? Oh, 
no! That was a joke of mine. Very funny you be- 
lieved it, wasn't it ? (All laugh loudly except Piper.) 
But we'll pay you something for your trouble. 
Go to the hotel and get a good dinner — the best 
you can order. We'll pay for it and here is a dollar 
besides, my good fellow. A hundred dollars for 
playing a litle tune like that! I have paid you well 
row — with a dinner and a dollar. More than you'd 
get in most cities I can tell you. 

Piper I do not enjoy your kind of jokes. Your 
Honor. They do not seem at all funny to me. I 
am in a hurry to reach another city by nightfall, 
so do not keep me waiting any longer. Give me 
my hundred dollars that I may start on my way. 

Mayor (shakes head angrily ^ roars out) A hundred. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 7 1 

dollars? You beggar! Not one dollar more will 
I give you. Be off with you, before I call the police. 

Piper I will give you one more chance to keep 
your word to me. Then, if you do not give me my 
money, I'll play another tune — the one I always 
play when people do not treat me fairly. For 
the last time I ask, will you give me my money ? 

Mayor Fellow! I have no money of yours. I 
owe you no money. I dare you to do your worst. 
Play — till your old flute bursts, for all I care. Do 
you think for one moment you can frighten the 
Mayor of Hamelin Town? 

(Piper, without a word more, puts flute to lips 
and plays, people stop celebrating to listen.) 

First Man Hark! That queer old Piper is play- 
ing again. Is he calling more rats? 

Second Man This tune is not at all like the tune 
that called the rats. 

Third Man No, indeed. This is soft as the 
gentlest breeze in summer. 

Fourth Man It is sweet as the songs of birds. 

Fifth Man But it is a strange tune. I never 
heard one like it before. 

Sixth Man See! All the children are running to 
him! Crowds of them have left their play to go him. 

Seventh Man And look! They are following 
him, as he starts down the street,. 



72 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Eighth Man What a pattering their little feet 
make, as they keep time to the music ! 

Ninth Man What a great clattering their wooden 
shoes make, as they hurry along! 

Tenth Man They all seem very happy about 
something, for they are clapping their hands for joy. 

First Man How busily their little tongues are 
chattering, like the squirrels in the treetops. 

Second Man They are gathering about the Piper, 
like hens in the farmyard about the one who feeds 
them. 

Third Man How pretty the children of Hamelin 
are! Roses are no redder than their cheeks! Gold 
is no brighter than their curls. 

Fourth Man I believe children of Hamelin are 
the prettiest in the world, for their eyes are as blue 
as the summer skies and as bright as diamonds. 

Fijth Man How they show their teeth, like 
snow-white pearls, when they laugh so merrily! 

Sixth Man I begin to be worried at our children 
following this strange Piper. Don't you think we 
should call them back, Your Honor? 

Mayor Some one should certainly call them 
back — for they are getting farther and farther from 
home all the time and who knows where the strange 
fellow with his queer music will lead them ? 

Seventh Man Every child in town is in the odd 
procession that follows at this piper's heels. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 73 

Mayor Come, then, my men! Let us all go 
quickly after them and bring them home before 
harm befalls them. 

{All cry) We are bewitched ! Alas! Alas! The 
piper has bewitched us. 

Eighth Man We are all rooted to the ground. 

Ninth Man We must stand like men of stone 
while this piper steals our children before our very 
eyes. 

{All cry) The river! The river! He is turn- 
ing towards the river! 

Mayor Can no one do anything? Our children 
will be drowned in the deep waters as the rats were 
a moment ago. 

{All cry) He is turning again! Oh joy! He is 
turning away from the river. 

Mayor And going towards the mountain. 

First Man Our children are safe, for neither 
piper nor they can ever climb over the top of that. 

Second Man We need not worry any more. We'll 
soon see our little folks stop and then turn back 
home, when they find they can go no further. 

{All cry) But what is that we see? Can we 
believe our eyes ? 

Mayor The side of the mountain is opening. 

First Man Surely that wonderful door was never 
there before. 

Second Man It is swinging wide open to let him 



74 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

in. I hope he will go in and never be able to get 
out again. 

Third Man He's gone in, but 

{All cry) Our children! Our pretty babes are 
going in too. We'll never see them again! 

First Man There goes the last one now. 

{All cry) What shall we do? The door is 
swinging shut! 

Mayor Now it is closed. I fear, forever, and the 
Fathers and Mothers of Hamelin Town will never 
see their little ones again. 

Fourth Man What a sad town ours will be! 

Fijth Man The saddest one in all the world — 
a town that has no children in it. 

{All cry) How can we ever live without them? 
Oh, our children ! Come back to us ! 

Mayor Let the bells in all the steeples be tolled 
for the rest of this sad day. Let the bands play their 
funeral music. Let us all go into the churches and 
pray for ourselves and our little ones who have gone 
we know not where, who are lost to us forever. 
j Fijth Man {angrily) This dreadful thing that 
I has happened is all your fault, Your Honor. 
I Sixth Man It would never have happened if 
you had not broken your promise to the piper. 

Seventh Man If you had paid the fellow he would 
have gone off — and we should, nqt now be crying for 
Qur lost, children,. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-T3ELIEVE 75 

Mayor What you say is true, my people. I 
should have kept my promise. It was very wrong 
to break it. I should have paid the hundred dol- 
lars that was his and let him go his way, but how 
could I know he was able to do this horrible thing 
if I did not give him his money? Five of my own 
little ones followed the Piper into the mountain. 

Sixth Man His Honor would never mean to 
harm a child. 

Seventh Man No, we all know he loves them 
dearly. 

Eighth Man Every one knows that all the chil- 
dren are his friends, but who is this, coming towards 
us? 

{All cry) A child! O, joy! A child! 

Ninth Man Where are the rest ? 

{All cry) It is little lame Hans who lives near the 
church. 

{Hans comes up^ looking very sad,) 

Hans All my little friends are gone, I am the 
only child in Hamehn Town who did not pass through 
the wonderful door. I tried hard to get there 
before it closed, but I could not keep up with the 
others, and fell so far behind they did not even see 
me coming. 

Mayor Tell us, my little man, why did you and 
all your little friends leave your homes and Fathers 



^6 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

and Mothers who love you, to follow this Piper 
whom you never saw before to-day? 

Hans The music the Piper played on his flute 
promised such beautiful things to all who would 
follow him. 

Mayor What were some of the beautiful things 
the music promised you ? 

Hans It told of a land so near we could easily 
walk to it, where the ripest and juiciest fruits grew 
and every child could have all he could eat. There 
were flowers too — of most wonderful colors, blos- 
soming in these gardens. The sparrows that hopped 
about in the gardens were as gaily colored as any 
peacock you ever saw. The dogs that one could have 
for pets could run more swiftly than our fleetest deer. 
There were honey bees, buzzing about every flower, 
but we need not fear them, for not one had a sting. 
The horses in this wonderful country had wings as 
strong and swift as the eagles, but the music was 
sweetest of all to me when it whispered that once I 
reached this land I would be strong and well as 
other boys, able to run and play with them, but {sadly) 
my lame foot carried me too slowly. The children 
all passed through the wonderful door in the moun- 
tain side and it closed while I was yet a long way off. 
How lonely and dull I shall be all my life with all 
my playmates gone {walks away). 

Mayor The only child in Hamelin Town! for 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 77 

I do not think we shall ever again hear the music of 
the strange Piper in our streets, I fear the wonderful 
door in the mountain side will never open again. 
Our eyes will never again look upon our children's 
faces. Come, my poor people, let us go to our 
sad and lonely homes, for the night is coming on. 
As long as I live, I have this to remember. Had I 
not broken my promise to the Piper, all might have 
been well with our children. 



THE BISHOP HATTO 
The Story 

Long ago before any one remembers, in a country 
far across the sea, the people were starving. All 
summer long the rain had come down in torrents, 
day after day. 

All through the autumn it was no better. The 
fields were soaked with the rain. The corn could 
not grow nor ripen, when all the soil was so very 
wet. 

Most of it rotted in the ground and the few stalks 
that lived had not ripened when winter came. 

The fields that always before had been full of 
waving corn, were a sorry sight this year, but a sadder 
sight were the poor people, who, now the com had 
died, had nothing to eat. 

Men, women and children were dying of hunger 
every day. 

There was but one man in all the country round 
who had any com and that was Bishop Hatto. 

He was a very rich man, who had great bams 
filled with corn that he had saved from last year's 
crop. 

Besides his barn so full of grain, he owned one or 

7S 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 79 

two palaces, and across the river a strong tower with 
high walls. 

Every day the poor people who were starving came 
in crowds to Bishop Hatto's door, begging for the 
corn he did not need, nor did not sell, but hoarded 
away in his great bams, as all the neighborhood 
knew. 

But to every one's pleading, the Bishop turned a 
deaf ear, and all were sent away empty-handed. 

Not so much as a peck measure of com would 
this hard-hearted old Bishop give to save his neigh- 
bors' lives. 

So great was the surprise one day, when the Bishop 
sent word through all the country-side, that, if those 
in need of food would come to his great bam at a 
certain time they might all have food enough to last 
them through the winter. 

The poor people almost cried for joy. They were 
so glad to think their troubles were over. They 
came from far and near; men, women and children, 
old men who could hardly walk, babies who could 
hardly toddle, not a person was left in the houses 
for miles around. 

Everybody had gone to Bishop Hatto's great bam 
to help carry home the com. 

The Bishop waited until the bam was so full it 
could hold no more. 

There was not even standing room for another one. 



8o THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

The people were packed in like so many sheep. 
Then Bishop Hatto, who stood outside, ordered 
the doors fastened and himself set fire to the great 
bam, burning it to the ground. 

The poor people shrieked and screamed and prayed 
when they found they were prisoners and must burn 
to death. The cruel Bishop said, as he stood by, 
and watched the flames leap higher and higher, ^'It 
makes a fine bonfire." ^^The country will thank 
me for getting rid of all those people, for the times 
are hard. Food is scarce. They are like so many 
rats eating up the com." 

When the great bam was only a heap of ashes the 
Bishop went back to his palace and sat down to 
supper, so happy and light-hearted a man, you would 
never think he had just burned hundreds of poor 
people to death. 

How could he sleep so sweetly as he did that night, 
when he had just done so cruel and terrible a deed, 
but that was the last night's rest that Bishop Hatto 
ever had, for in the morning as he came into his 
great hall a most dreadful sight met his eyes. He 
tumed white and cold as marble and trembled so he 
could hardly stand, when he saw what had hap- 
pened in the night. 

A large picture of himself that hung against the 
wall had been eaten out of its frame by rats. 

The Bishop was so terrified he could not move. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 8 1 

but stood there looking at the place where his pic- 
ture had been, when a man from his farm came run- 
ning in. 

His face was as white as the Bishop's own, though 
he did not know about the picture. 

As soon as he could get his breath he cried, *^0 
Bishop! when I opened the granaries this morning, 
I found the rats had eaten all your corn, not so 
much as a grain is left." 

The Bishop was to sell this com the very next day, 
for hundreds of dollars, so it was a great loss to him. 
This man had hardly finished telling his bad news, 
when another came running in as pale as a ghost and 
cried, ^^ You must fly. Bishop, fly for your life. Ten 
thousand rats are coming this way. I am afraid it 
is to punish you for what you did yesterday. Where 
can you hide ? 

The Bishop thought a moment. 

^^My tower on the river Rhine is the safest place 
in all Germany. I'll go there. Once I am inside 
its high walls nothing can get to me, for the shores 
are too steep for anyone to climb, and the river 
too swift and deep for anyone to swim," said the 
Bishop, as shaking with fear he hurried away. In 
a very little while he had crossed the river and 
reached his strong tower, where he barred all the 
gates, so that no one could get within the high walls. 

Then, tired from his fright and his hurry, and feel- 



82 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

ing himself safe at last, he lay down and closed his 
eyes for a little nap. A scream close to his ears 
made him jump to his feet. There, on his pillow, 
sat a cat, her two eyes blazing like coals of fire. 

The Bishop was not so frightened when he found 
it was only the cat, but he listened and looked to 
see why she screamed. Something was making her 
wild with fear and her screams were terrible to 
hear. 

What the Bishop saw at last made his heart stand 
still and he, too, could have screamed with a fear 
greater than the cat's. He could see through the 
window that a perfect army of rats were on the way, 
thousands of them. 

They had swam the river he had thought too deep 
and swift for any one to swim. 

They had climbed the banks he had thought too 
steep for anyone to scale, and now, as he watched, 
they were crawling through every hole and window 
in the wall. There was no way for the Bishop to 
escape, no way to save his life. He went down 
on his knees and prayed as he had not prayed in 
many a year. 

But, loud as he prayed, he could hear the sawing 
of the rat's teeth, as they gnawed, sounding nearer 
and nearer every second. 

The next moment they came in through the win- 
dows by thousands. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 83 

Some poured in through the doors. Others came 
even through the thick walls. 

Then all at once every rat in the room made 
straight for the Bishop. 

They came down from the ceiling and up from the 
floor. If the Bishop turned to the right or the left, 
the rats were on either hand. 

From behind and before, from within and without, 
they came in droves. 

They were over his head. They were under his 
feet. They were everywhere. Their sharp teeth 
were still sharper from being whetted against the 
stones as they came through the wall, so they made 
short work of picking the Bishop's bones, and that 
was the last of Bishop Hatto. 

Thus was he punished for the cruel deed he did 
that day, when he burned the poor people, like rats 
in his great bam. 



THE BISHOP HATTO 

The Play 

Dramatis Personce 
Village People 
Bishop Hatto 
Servants of Bishop Hatto 
Traveller 

Soldiers of Bishop Hatto 
The Rats 

Scene I 

Traveller {to men hurrying along road towards 
palace) Can you tell me what is going on at that 
palace? Why are the people coming from every 
direction and crowding about that one palace? Is 
a feast being held there and all these people the guests 
who are bidden? Who lives there, do you know? 

First Man {laughs bitterly) A feast ? As far from 
that as anything can be. Guests? Beggars, rather, 
praying for bread to keep them and their families 
from starving. 

Second Man We, too, are on our way there, but 
little good it will do us, I fear. 

Third Man Bishop Hatto lives in that palace 

and a hard, cruel tyrant he is. Little cares he, if 

84 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 85 

all the f)eople in all the country round starve to 
death. 

Traveller And is there danger of your dying of 
hunger? I have always heard the soil in this part of 
the country was so rich, you raised more than you 
needed every year, that you sent a great deal to 
market. Why is it you are without food this year ? 

Fourth Man All summer long the rain has come 
down in torrents. Day after day it has been one 
steady pour, pour, pour! 

Fifth Man And all through the autumn it has 
been no better. The fields are soaked with rains. 

First Man We depend upon the com for our 
living in this part of the country and the com has had 
no chance to grow. It has been drowned out. It 
could not ripen, when all the soil is so very wet. 

Second Man Very little of our com came up at 
all. Most of it has rotted in the ground. 

Third Man The few stalks that did come up 
and have managed to live show no signs of ripening 
and winter is almost here. 

Traveller I was here once before, a few years 
ago, and I well remember what a pretty sight your 
fields of com were, bending and bowing and waving 
in the wind. 

Fourth Man Our fields are anything but a 
pretty sight this year — a sorry sight indeed ! 

Fifth Man But a sorrier sight are our poor 



86 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

people who, now the com has failed, have nothing to 
eat. 

First Man Not a day passes but we hear of some 
of our men, women and children dying of hunger. 

Traveller Has no one any corn that he has stored 
away, that you could buy and pay for when better 
times come again? Has no one saved any corn 
from last year's harvest? 

Second Man Few of us save any com from one 
year to the next, for we always sell all we can spare, 
but there is one man and only one who has plenty 
of com to keep us all from starving. 

Traveller He must be a very rich man to be able 
to store away his corn from year to year. Does he 
live in that palace towards which the crowds of 
people are going? 

Third Man Yes, Bishop Hatto is his name. 
Those great bams you see back of his palace are 
filled to the roof with corn he saved from last year's 
crop. 

Fourth Man But those barns filled with grain 
are not all his riches. He owns one or two other 
palaces besides the one he Hves in, quite as grand as 
that one, too. 

Fifth Man Nor have you told all his wealth 
now. You have forgotten the strong tower with 
high walls that he built across the river. 

Traveller Is to-day the first time the people have 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 87 

begged the Bishop to sell or give his hoarded corn 
to them? 

First Man The first time? Indeed it is not. 
Every day for weeks, ever since the weather has been 
growing cold, they come in crowds to Bishop Hatto's 
door, begging for the com that will keep their families 
from starving. 

Traveller Let us join the crowds and see if they 
are having any better luck to-day. Perhaps his 
hard heart has softened at last. 

(Traveller and five men move close to palace gate.) 

One (cries) Give us the com that we may keep 
our wives and babies alive. 

Another Give us the com that we may fill our 
children's mouths, agape like hungry birds, and still 
their cries. 

Another Give us the corn you do not need. 

Another You do not sell the corn to anyone, so 
it cannot be that you are in need of the money. 

Another If you'll not give it to us to keep us 
from starving, then sell it to us at your highest price 
and let us pay you with next season's crop. 

Another What good is the com doing you? 
You but hoard it away in your great bams, as all 
your neighbors know. Would you not rather give 
it to save your neighbors' lives? 

Another Come out, Bishop Hatto, come out and 



88 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

face us. Coward! Don't you dare stand before the 
hungry people your com might save? Come out, 
we say, or we'll drag you out! At least be man 
enough to come out and tell us you will not give us 
help! 

Bishop {indoors) You had better save your breath 
than waste it in pleading with me, for I hear you 
not. My ear is deaf to all your prayers. It is noth- 
ing to me, whether you eat or starve. I have more 
than enough for myself and my household. I care 
not at all whether you live or die. My bams are 
full of com, as you say, but none of it shall be poured 
into your baskets. I send you away, every man of 
you, empty-handed as you came. The grain is my 
own. I can do what I please with my own, save it 
or sell it. Not so much as a peck measure will I sell. 
Not so much as a quart measure will I give away. 
Not so much as a pint measure even if it were to save 
all your lives. Now go, every man, woman and child 
of you. Out of my sight this moment! Out of my 
gate, before I order my soldiers to fire on you, to drive 
you away! 

{Crowds disperse hurriedly for fear of soldiers being 
ordered to fire upon them.) 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 89 



Scene n 

Time: Several days later. 

Place: On the road near Bishop^ s great barn. 

{Road filled with people, young and old, all camping 
baskets, hurrying on foot or in wagons towards palace.) 

Traveller (meets men with whom he talked before.) 
I can't believe that all these people I see hurr5dng 
along the road are going again to Bishop Hatto's 
after his cruel speech of a few days ago. Surely you 
can't be going there again! It will do you no good 
and may do you great harm, for he threatened last 
time, you know, to order his soldiers to fire upon 
you. 

First Man We are as surprised to be going 
there again as you are to see us, but we have been 
invited this time, so he'll hardly order his soldiers 
to shoot us, I think. 

Traveller Invited? After all he said that other 
day? And is he going to sell you some com at last ? 

Second Man Give it to us! Isn't that the great- 
est surprise of all? Enough com to last us through 
the winter! 

Third Man Yesterday the Bishop sent his sol- 
diers far and near through all the country side, to 
tell the people that, if any were in need of food, to 
come to his great bams to-day at three o'clock. 



QO THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Traveller I should think the people would be 
afraid it was too good to be true, or else that they 
could not believe their own ears. 

Fourth Man Most of the people cried as hard as 
they could for joy. 

Fifth Man Others laughed until they cried. 
We were so glad to think our troubles were over. 

Sixth Man Winter only just begun and no food 
to be had for our families is pretty big trouble. But 
look! The road is black with the people. They 
are coming from far and near. 

Traveller It is not only the men who are going. 
Women and children as well, I see, are in the 
strange procession. 

First Man Oh, yes, everybody is on the way. 
Old men that can only hobble, babies who can 
hardly toddle. Everybody is on the way. 

Second Man I don't believe a person is left in 
any house for miles around, do you ? 

Third Man No, for everybody who is able to 
walk at all went along to help carry home the grain. 
It will take bushels and bushels of com to feed all 
these people all winter. And it will take a great 
many hands to carry it all home. 

Fourth Man Here we are at last! The bam is 
so crowded now, shall we stand outside ? 

Bishop {stands just outside ham) No standing 
outside allowed, my men, Push right on into the 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEV£ Qi 

bam if you want your share of the grain. Plenty of 
room yet. Crowd up, over in that comer. Stand 
closer in the centre. Those who can't get in can 
have no com. Pack in! Move up! Stand as close 
as you make your sheep sometimes (says in whisper 
to soldier) Is the bam full now? 

Soldier It can hold no more, my lord. 

Bishop Do you see any more on the way ? 

Soldier Not a person is in sight on the road, my 
lord. There is not even standing room for another 
one, if there were. 

Bishop Then fasten all the doors, every one of 
them. Do not leave a single door unlocked. 

Soldier It is done, my lord. 

Bishop Every door barred? You are sure? 

Soldier Every one, my lord. 

Bishop Then the time has come to light my 
great fire. I myself will set fire to the bam, full of 
com to the roof, full of people to the doors. 

{People in barn shriek, scream, etc.) 

Bishop Hear the women and children scream! 
Hear the men curse! It will do them little good. 
Some are shrieking prayers, but that will not unlock 
the doors nor put out the flames. What a pretty 
sight it is, as the flames leap higher and higher! It 
makes the finest of bonfires. Let the rats bum. 
The country will thank me, I know, for getting rid of 



92 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

all of them, for times are hard, food is scarce. They 
were like so many rats, eating up the good corn. 
Now the country is rid of them, for my great bam full 
to the roof with grain and full to the door with 
people is now only a handful of ashes. Now I can 
go back to my palace and eat my supper a happier, 
lighter-hearted man than I have been since these 
beggars first began to cry for my com. Then when 
I have had my good supper, I'll go to bed and sleep 
more sweetly than I have any night since these 
crowds of people came thronging to my door, beg- 
ging for com, that their families might not starve. 
Now, none of them will ever be hungry again, for I 
have sent them where they will need no food. 

(Walks towards palace as he talks. Enters it 
and doses door as he finishes his speaking,) 



Scene III 

Time: Next morning. 
Place: Bishop's palace.. 

{Bishop himself coming down the stairs.) 

Servant What is it, my lord? You are white 
and cold as marble. Are you ill, my lord ? Speak 
to me and tell me what I can do to help you. You 
are trembling so you can hardly stand. Can't you 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 93 

tell me what is the trouble that I may do something 
to help you ? 

Bishop {points with shaking -fingers) Look ! My 
picture! The rats! 

Servant My lord! Can it be they have done 
that? Eaten that great picture out of its frame? 
Not a shred of canvas left? I did not know there 
was a rat in the house. I never saw any except in 
the bams. Do you suppose the fire of yesterday has 
driven the rats from the bam to the house? But 
who comes here? A messenger! His face is as 
white as your own, my lord. 

Second Servant {comes running in, out of breath, 
gasping) My lord! I opened the other bams 
this moming, where the most of the com is stored. 
It is all gone, my lord, not so much as a grain is 
left. The rats have eaten it all in a single night. 

Bishop The rats again! They have eaten hun- 
dreds of dollars then, for I was to have sold it all this 
very day. It is a very great loss to me. 

First Servant Look! My lord, another mes- 
senger! A bearer of bad news too, for he is pale as 
a ghost. 

Third Servant {runs in breathlessly, shouts) Fly! 
My lord. Fly! At once for your life. You must 
fly, my lord, if you would live. Ten thousand rats 
are coming this way to devour you. I fear the rats 
are sent to pimish you for what you did to those poor 



94 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

people yesterday. Where can you hide? Is there 
not some place? 

Bishop {sits silently^ thinking a moment) My 
tower! I'll go at once to my tower on the River 
Rhine. There is no safer place in all Germany. 
Once there I can laugh at the rats, for they will try in 
vain to get at me there. Once inside those high 
walls, nothing can get to me. The shores are too 
steep for any one to climb. The river is too deep 
and swift for any one to swim. In all Germany 
there is no better place to hide myself. 

Servant Then lose no time, my lord. Start at 
once, for the rats are traveUing rapidly. 

Bishop I'll hurry away. Once I have crossed 
the river I am safe {walks hurriedly away). 

First Servant He talks bravely of being .safe in 
his strong tower, but — did you see — he is shaking 
with fear. 

Second Servant Yes, but if he is once inside those 
strong walls, I do not see that he has anything to 
fear, for nothing can get through those thick walls, 
if they succeeded in climbing those steep banks. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 95 



Scene IV 

Time: A short time later in same day. 
Place: Inside the strong tower. 

Bishop At last, I am safe in my strong tower. 
The river is crossed and these thick walls are be- 
tween me and all the rats in the world. I have 
barred all the gates and neither man nor beast can get 
within these high walls. I find myself very tired, 
and no wonder, I was hardly awake this morning 
before I began to hear bad news. My own picture 
that I saw for myself eaten by those dreadful rats. 
Then while I was still gazing at that in horror, the 
first messenger came with news that the rats had 
eaten up all my com, which meant a loss of hun- 
dreds of dollars to me. The first messenger had 
hardly gotten his breath before a second, pale as a 
ghost, begged me to fly for my life, so it is no wonder 
between my fright and my hurry that I find myself 
very tired. There is no reason, now that I am safe 
from it all, that I should not lie down and have a 
nap. 

{Bishop lies down upon a couch, closes eyes, 
cat creeps upon Bishop^s pillow, from which she 
looks out of window and suddenly gives terrible 
scream, right in Bishops s ear.) 

Bishop (springs to feet, hands over ears) A more 



96 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

hideous scream I never heard, right in my ear, too! 
Enough to frighten a man to death, sound asleep as I 
was, though I am not so badly frightened now that 
I know it was only the cat. There she sits on my 
pillow now and so still you might think her carved 
out of stone, but for her eyes. They are blazing like 
two coals of fire. 

{Cat screams again and again.) 

O Puss! Pussy! Your screams are terrible to hear. 
I must see what it is that is making you scream. 

{Cat screams again and again.) 

There! There! Pussy, you have had too much 
meat perhaps and are having a fit. 

{Cat screams again and again.) 

Be quiet. Pussy! Nothing can harm you here. 
No Bowsers can get you here. 

{Bishop starts as he sees at last what puss has 
been seeing) 

Oh! Oh! What a terrible sight! My heart stands 
still with terror. I could scream with a greater fear 
than yours, poor Puss. A perfect army of rats 
have tracked me here and are on their way to my 
hiding place. Thousands upon thousands of them! 
But when they come to the deep, swift river, they will 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 97 

have to turn back. It is well for me I hurried as I 
did. If those rats had caught me outside of these 
walls, they would have made short work of me. 
Oh! Oh! Do my eyes see aright? I can't be- 
lieve it! But yes, they are — they are swimming the 
river that I thought too deep and swift for any one 
to swim. They'll be drowned, all of them, I need 
not fear. They'll never reach this shore alive. 
Oh! Oh! What hope is left me now? They are 
swarming up out of the river. Only the steep banks 
now between me and those terrible rats. Surely 
they cannot scale those banks that are almost straight 
up and down, with never a foothold for the small- 
est foot in their smooth rocky sides. Rats may be 
able to swim deep, swift rivers, but those steep banks 
will turn them back. No one can scale those. Oh! 
My eyes! My eyes! Are you telling me true? I 
see them scaling the steep walk, by leaps and boimds, 
and coming through these thick walls at every hole 
and window and crack and crevice. My last hope 
is gone. There is no way to escape. I have come 
to the end. I must die. I'll try to pray, as I have 
not prayed in many a year. {Bows head a moment,) 
How can a man pray when the saw of the rats' teeth, 
as they gnaw, sounds nearer and nearer every second ? 

{Bishop screams and dashes frantically about 
room, to escape, if possible.) 



98 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Through the windows, hundreds of them. Through 
the doors, thousands of them are pouring. Through 
the thick walls, others are coming. They are coming 
for me. Now, every rat in the room is making straight 
for me. Down from the ceiling, up from the floor, 
if I turn to the right, they are there, or the left, there 
are as many. From behind and before, from 
within and without they come in droves. It is no 
use. I can struggle against them no longer. They 
are over my head, under my feet. They are every- 
where, everywhere. I am almost gone. Their 
teeth are as sharp as knives. Gnawing through the 
stone walls was the best of files for sharpening their 
teeth. They'll make short work picking my bones. 
I am dying, dying, for the cruel deed I did yesterday. 
This is my punishment for burning those poor 
people like rats in a trap. I pay with my life for my 
wicked deed. I pay with my life for all the lives 
I took. It is the end. 



THE STAR DOLLARS 
The Story 

There was once a little girl left all alone in the 
world. She had no brothers nor sisters and both her 
father and mother were dead. All the clothes she 
had were those she wore. All the food she had was 
a little bread some one had given her. 

Poor little girl! She had none of the things a 
child needs. Mother love and father care she could 
never have again. She had no one to make a home 
for her. 

There was no money to give her even food and 
clothes. Poor little girl! She was indeed alone. 

But she said over the prayer her mother had taught 
her and started out into the world. She still carried 
the piece of bread in her hand. She did not know 
where she was going. 

Perhaps something would show her the way. 
Perhaps something would turn her feet into the 
right path. She had not gone far when she met a 
poor man. He was so very old he was much bent. 
He was thin, as though he had never had plenty to eat. 

He saw the little girl's bit of bread and begged for 
some of it, because he was so hungry. The little 

99 



lOO THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

girl gave him the whole piece at once and went on. 
She had gone but a little way when she met a child. 
The little fellow had nothing on his head, though 
the day was very cold. 

He told the little girl that his head was aching with 
the cold. He begged her for something with which 
to cover it. 

The little girl had nothing but her hood. She 
took that off from her own head and put it on his 
little aching head. When she had gone a little 
farther she met another child. This one had no 
coat. The biting wind went right through the poor 
thin dress she wore. The child would soon freeze 
to death. 

The little girl took off her own warm jacket and 
wrapped it round the freezing child. 

At the next turn of the road she came upon another 
child. This one's dress was so tattered and torn it 
was all but falling off from her. 

The little girl had parted with her bread. Then 
her hood, next her coat. She had nothing left to 
give, she thought, except her dress. Even this she 
took off and put on the child whose dress was 
tattered and torn. 

By this time it had grown dark, for night had 
fallen. The little girl found herself in a forest, but 
she was not afraid. It was warmer among the trees 
than in the road, 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE lOl 

She was looking about to find a safe, warm place 
to sleep when she met another child. This poor 
little thing had no clothes and its flesh was blue with 
the cold. He was shivering so that he could hardly 
stand. 

Poor little one! He was crying too, as if his heart 
would break. He was not much more than a baby. 

She could not bear to see him suffer so. And yet 
she had nothing left to give, except her little flannel 
shirt. Everything else had gone. The bread to 
the old man, thin and bent, her hood to the child 
with the aching head, her coat to the child who had 
none, her dress to the one who was tattered and 
torn. The little one's crying hurt her too much. 

The woods were dark. The trees would shelter 
her. She could surely find some snug, warm place 
to sleep. Off came the little flannel shirt, and as 
quickly it was drawn over the poor little fellow's 
body, blue with cold. 

Before the little girl slept, she always said her 
evening prayer. So to-night she looked up into the 
sky as she said the prayer her mother had taught 
her. 

She thought she had never seen the stars so bright 
and beautiful. As she looked, the stars began to 
fall in showers at her feet. The ground was covered 
with them, round and bright and shining. But they 
were not stars at all now. They were bright silver 



lO^ THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

dollars that could buy food and clothes for the little 
girl. 

There was enough money to take good care of 
her all the rest of her life. 

But that was not all. Among the silver dollars was 
the finest of little silk shirts. This was sent to take 
the place of the one she had just taken off to cover 
the poor child who had no clothes. 

She put on this pretty little white shirt that came 
straight from the sky. 

Then she began to gather the silver dollars that 
lay thick on the ground. 

There were more than she would need the rest of 
her life. The little girl need never be cold, nor 
hungry, nor naked again. 



THE STAR DOLLARS 

The Play 

Dramatis Personam 
Little Girl 
Old Man 
Four Little Children 

Little Girl Now that father and mother are both 
dead, I am all alone in the world. I must think what 
is best for me to do. How I wish I had some brothers 
or sisters, so there'd be some one to love me. Let 
me think what I have. The clothes I have on and 
this piece of bread a kind lady gave me, because 
she thought I looked hungry. I have no home and 
no money, so I must start out into the world to see 
what I can do to get food and clothes and shelter 
for myself. (Walks off,) I do not know which road 
to take, but perhaps something will show me the 
way. (She meets a poor old man, bent and thin.) 

Old Man Oh, little girl, what wouldn't I give 
for a bite of the bread you carry. It is days since I 
have tasted food. I am dying of hunger. 

Little Girl Poor old man ! I am so sorry for you ! 
Take it all. You need it more than I, for I am young 
and strong and can earn some more some way. 

103 



I04 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Old Man Blessings on you, child! May you 
never know what it is to be hungry as I am! 

{They separate. Girl walks on. Meets a child ^ 
hare-headed^ crying bitterly.) 

Little Girl Poor little man! Why are you cry- 
ing? 

Child Oh, my head aches so hard with the cold! 

Girl I should think it would this bitter day. Why 
did you come out without your cap? 

Child Because I have none, but cap or no cap, I 
was made to go on this errand. 

Girl {takes off hood and puts it on child^s head) 
Take my hood then. 

Child But what will you do then? Your head 
will ache with cold as mine did. 

Girl No, my hair is thick and long. I shall not 
feel the cold as you did with your short hair. 

{They separate. Girl meets another child crying, 
coatless.) 

Little Girl Oh, little one, why did you come out 
without your coat this cold day ? This biting wind 
must go right through the thin dress you wear. You 
will freeze to death without your coat this cold day. 

Child If I only had a coat, but I have none, not 
so much as a cape or a shawl, and yet I was sent to 
do this errand. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 105 

{Little Girl takes off her own warm coat, wraps 
it round freezing child.) 

Child You must not do this. I can not let you, 
for then you will be as cold as I. 

Girl No, you must take it, for my dress is not 
thin like yours. It will keep out the cold better 
than yours did. 

{They separate. Girl walks mi.) 

Girl {to herself.) My bread went to the old man 
who was hungry, my hood to the little fellow who 
had no cap, now my coat to the poor child who 
was almost frozen. {Laughs.) I have nothing left 
to give anyone now, but my dress, and that I can 
hardly spare as I did the other things. 

{Little Girl meets another child whose dress is all 
tattered and torn, almost falling off from her, child 
is crying bitterly.) 

Little Girl O child! have you no other dress 
that is not so ragged? The wind must get in at 
every hole. 

Child I have none better and none worse, for 
this is the only dress I have in the world. 

Girl {to herself) I thought a moment ago that I 
could not spare my dress, but now I remember my 
shirt is very warm and will protect me from the cold 



I06 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

much better than this ragged dress does this poor 
child. {Takes off dress, throws it over child^s head, 
who cries,) 

Child Then what will you do if you give me your 
dress ? Have you another at home ? 

Girl No, but I have a good warm shirt, and you 
have not even that. 

Child Thank you, then, I must hurry home, for 
it is fast growing dark. 

(They separate. Little girl wanders on.) 

Little Girl I wish I had a home to go to at 
night. I think I'll go into this forest, it must surely 
be warmer among the trees than in the road. I 
shall not be afraid in the forest. Nothing can harm 
me. (Looks about.) Let me find the warmest nest 
I can among the trees. (Comes upon another child 
who has no clothes,) 

Little Girl O you poor little one! Can it be 
that you have no clothes? Your flesh is blue with 
the cold, and you are shivering so you can hardly 
stand. Poor baby! for you are little more than 
that. Don't cry so! I cannot bear to see you suffer 
so. Tell me, have you no warm clothes this bitter 
night. 

Child (shakes his head) I crept in among the 
trees, because it was a little warmer. The wind 
does not cut quite so cruelly in the forest. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 107 

Girl (to herself) It hurts me so to hear him cry 
and know how cruelly the wind must cut his tender 
flesh. It is very dark here in the woods. The 
trees will shelter me. I can surely find some warm 
nest, where I can cuddle down to sleep. 

(Takes off shirt and draws it quickly over the poor 
little fellow^s shivering body. Child walks away. 
Girl stands still,) 

Girl My mother taught me always before I slept 
to say my prayers, so I will say them now. (Looking 
into the sky,) How bright and beautiful the stars 
are to-night ! I think I never saw them shine so like 
diamonds as they do to-night. Oh, look! (Rais- 
ing her voice excitedly,) Can it be? Do I see 
aright? The stars are falling, coming down to 
earth in showers! They are falling at my very 
feet! The ground is covered with them as with 
snow, round and bright and shining. (Picks one 
up.) Why! They are not stars at all! They are 
bright silver dollars ! Can it be they are all for me ? 
Sent me from the sky to buy food and clothes ? And 
still they come ! (Gathering handfuls,) This surely 
must be enough money to take good care of me the 
rest of my life. Oh! Oh! What can this be, 
falling down among the silver dollars? A little 
shirt! (Picking it up.) But not at all like the one 
I gave away. This is such a pretty one, so soft and 



lo8 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

white and all of silk. It must have been sent to take 
the place of the one I took off to put on that poor 
baby who had none. I'll put it right on — this 
pretty white shirt that came straight down from the 
sky to me. Now I must gather up all these siver 
dollars that lie so thick upon the ground. There 
must be more here than I shall need all the rest of 
my life. Just think! I need never be cold nor 
hungry nor naked again! 



THE BROWN DWARF OF RUGEN 
The Story 

A long time ago, in a pretty little town by the sea, 
lived a boy and girl. 

All day long and every day they were always to- 
gether. Sometimes they played on the beach in the 
sand that glistened like silver in the sunlight. 

Often they waded out into the sea and let the great 
waves chase them back to shore. 

As soon as the flowers were in bloom, you could 
see this little lad and lass down in the meadows, filling 
their baskets with the sweet spring blossoms. 

The boy was strong and straight as a farmer's 
boy should be. The girl was as pretty a maid as 
you ever saw. 

Her curls were yellow as gold and her eyes were 
as blue as the sky. 

Her father, the miller, thought there never was a 

child quite so sweet as his little daughter. When 

this lad and lass lived the world was still so young 

it was full of dwarfs and elves and trolls. They 

are the little brown-faced people who have no 

souls. 

For every man and woman who walk through the 

109 



no THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

town in the air and sunshine, there was a troll living 
under the ground. 

For every boy and girl playing in the fields, there 
was an elf living down below where the sun and 
air never came. 

One morning the miller's little daughter wandered 
so far away from her playmate that she found her- 
self among the nine hills, the playground of the elves 
and goblins. That very day, men working in the 
fields said they had heard strange voices in the air. 
Some heard small horns blown by unseen lips. 
When night fell and still the Miller's daughter had 
not come home, everyone started out to hunt for her. 

They went through all the fields and woods, call- 
ing her name at every step, but no one found any 
trace of her. 

Some went east and some went west, but none 
brought back the lost girl to her father. The old 
women of the village shook their gray heads and said 
the lass had been stolen by the brown dwarfs and 
was down among the elves and trolls, so the Miller 
had prayers said in the church, and the bell tolled 
for his little daughter who came not again. 

Five years her father lived a sad and lonely life 
without her, and then her old playmate, John, now 
almost a man, said, ^' I am going to find my little 
comrade, or at least find out whether she is alive or 
dead." 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE III 

So he went first to the nine hills, where Elizabeth 
had last been seen that day now so long ago. 

He watched there at night, until the brown dwarfs 
came singing to dance in the moonlight. 

As they were making merry the leader of the trolls 
tossed his red cap into the air. 

Quick as a flash, John caught it and put it upon his 
own head. 

The troll knelt at his feet and cried bitterly for his cap. 

^' Oh, give it back to me !" he wailed. '' My magic 
cap. It will not fit your great head." 

John shook his head. 

"No," he said. "The dwarf who throws away 
his magic cap must do something for the one who 
finds it to pay for it. Five years ago you stole 
my pretty EHzabeth and hid her in the earth." 

John's voice grew very stern. 

"I will give back your magic cap if you will open 
your doors underground and let me take Elizabeth 
home with me." 

But the brown dwarf cried, "She will not come. 
She is one of us now. She is mine, or will be, for 
to-morrow she is to be my bride. Even now the great 
cake is baked for the feast. 

"Hold your tongue!" roared John, "and may the 
evil spirit get you! Quick! Open the glass door 
in this hill that leads to your bad world, or I'll 
make you wish you had ! 



112 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

The dwarf was too frightened to do anything 
but obey, so John and he went down the long stair- 
way that leads to this strange sunless country. 

John could hardly believe his eyes. 

He saw such wonderful sights: The streets of 
golden sand and palaces of precious stones made him 
almost forget the errand on which he had come. 

The long dark passages led him into a great dining 
room, in which were tables loaded with good things 
to eat. 

A young girl came to wait upon him as soon as he 
seated himself at one of the tables. 

One look at the blue-eyed maiden told John she 
was no troll. One with so fair a face did not belong 
to the ugly trolls. 

She looked so pale and sad John wondered if she 
had ever smiled in all her life. 

When she spoke to him, John fell to wondering 
if he had ever before heard that low, sweet voice. 
Whom did he know that had golden-brown hair like 
this maiden's? 

He looked again and then it all came to him. 
He knew it was his long-lost comrade, whom he had 
missed for years. 

'^O Elizabeth!" he cried, and caught her in his 
arms. Don't you know me ? See ! I am your old 
playmate, John, the farmer's son. 

Elizabeth gave one long look, then threw her arms 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE II3 

about his neck and burst into tears, sobbing as though 
her heart would break. 

^'Oh, take me away!" she cried. '^Take me away 
from this dreadful place and from these goblin folks ! 
If I could only wander again with you through the 
green fields, hunting the sweet smelling flowers; if I 
could only feel again the soft wind fan my cheek 
and hear the gentle patter of the rain upon the roof. 
What wouldn't I give to hear again the singing of 
the birds or the rustling of the leaves in the wind ? 
Even the lowing of a cow, or the bleating of a 
sheep would be music in my ears. And oh! if I 
could sit once more beside the door, upon my 
Father's knee — and hear the church bells ring." 

Elizabeth's old playmate kissed away the tears 
from her pale cheeks and the sad smile from her 
lips, which made the brown dwarf very angry. 

He groaned aloud, tearing his tangled hair and 
grinding his long teeth in his rage. At last John 
turned to him and said, '^This beautiful girl has 
worked for you in this terrible place five long years^ 
while all her friends thought her dead. She is going 
to be well paid by you for all you have made her 
suffer. Go quickly and bring her the most beautiful 
gems you have in all your rich store. When you 
have let us both up again through the gate of glass, 
I'll give you your cap." 

There was nothing left for the brown dwarf to do 



114 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

but obey, so grumbling all the while, he filled John's 
pockets and Elizabeth's apron with the precious 
stones. 

Then they left this dreadful sunless country and 
passed up through the gate of glass, until their feet 
once more touched the soft, green grass and the warm 
sunshine brought the roses back to Elizabeth's pale 
cheeks. 

The brown dwarf stretched up his crooked, claw- 
like fingers for his red cap, which John had tossed 
down to him, and the glass gate closed. As John 
and EHzabeth walked home through the meadows 
hand in hand, they thought the sunshine had never 
before been so bright. They knew the birds had 
never sung so sweet a song, nor the waves of the sea 
made softer music on the shore. 

John led EHzabeth to her father's door, and when 
the Miller held his daughter safe again in his arms 
the bells rang out their merriest tune and the village 
folk were almost wild with joy. 

Very soon after this John and Elizabeth were 
married in the church, and lived happily all their 
lives in a fine great house that John had built. 

No other little girls of the village were ever again 
stolen by the goblins, as EHzabeth had been, for in 
the nine hills John put up a great cross of stone over 
the glass gate through which the elves used to come 
up to dance in the moonlight. 



THE BROAVN DWARF OF RUGEN 

The Play 

Dramatis Personm 

John — a farmer's son 

LiZBETH — the miller's daughter 

The Mhler 

Workmen 

Townspeople 

The Leader of the Dwarfs 

John (yodelling for Lizheth), 

Lizbeth {heard yodelling in distance comes into 
sight.) 

John Where have you been all this time ? Didn't 
you hear me calling you this long while ? 

Lizheth No, I answered as soon as I heard you. 
I drove part way to the mill with Father. Then he 
put me down and I ran back as fast as I could to 
play with you. Papa likes to have me go part way 
with him. He says it is a long drive to take all alone 
every day. 

John Where shall we go to play to-day? Shall 
we go out into the fields for wild flowers? Those 
warm days must have brought many out. 

Lizheth After a while we'll see how many flowers 

115 



Il6 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

we can find to carry home, but let's run down to the 
beach now and play in the sand. Wouldn't you 
rather do that than anything else? 

John Yes, playing in the sand is always great 
fun, and I love the smell of the sea, too, don't you ? 

Lizheth Indeed I do! and don't you like to hear 
the boom of the surf, as the great waves break on the 
shore ? 

John Yes and how like live things the waves 
seem chasing each other to land. It looks as if they 
were running a race to see which would reach the 
beach first. 

Lizbeth Here comes a big wave now. 

John The one behind it is larger. Let's go as 
close to the water's edge as we dare and then run 
back when we see a big wave coming. 

{Children go cautiously to watefs edge many times 
run back shouting and screaming,) 

John Oh! Oh! The waves are chasing us. 

Lizbeth We're playing tag with the sea, aren't we ? 

John Yes and it's more fun than with boys and 
girls. Run! Quick, Lizbeth! or they'll have you. 

Lizbeth That one abnost drenched me. My hair 
is wet with the spray. I'm all out of breath. Let's 
play in the sand awhile. 

John How like silver the sand looks this morn- 
ing. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE II 7 

Lizheth It is the sun that makes it glisten so. Lie 
down, John, and I'll bury you in it. 

{John lies down, Lizbeth heaps sand upon him. 
Both laughing and shouting gaily.) 

Lizbeth (sings in chanting fashion) Now you are 
buried you must be good, must be good. 

(John suddenly springs up, throwing off sand,) 

John Now let me bury you, Lizbeth. Lie down. 

{Lizbeth obeys, John throws sand all over her,) 

Lizbeth {screams) My eyes! Oh, my eyes, John! 
The sand is getting in them. 

John You must shut your eyes as tight as you can. 

Lizbeth {wails) I can't shut them tight enough, 
but what the sand gets in them. And my ears, 
too. Oh, John ! stop and let me get up. 

John That's just like a girl. Very well. Jump 
up and we'll dig canals. 

{Lizbeth jumps up and both dig quietly for awhile 
using pail and spade,) 

John I'll dig all the sand from this place and you 
carry it over there in your pail. 

Lizbeth And make a fort of it, shall I ? 

John Yes, and a wall on this side of the canal. 

Lizbeth Is that the canal you are digging now, 
John? 



Il8 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

John No, this is a big lake I am making. You 
dig a small bay the other side of this strip of 
land. 

Lizheth Oh, now I see where you are going to dig 
the canal! 

John You see there must be some way for the 
boats to get from the big lake into the bay. 

Lizheth So we'll cut the canal through this strip 
of land, won't we, to join the lake and bay? 

John Now let's get some chips for boats and see 
if they can go from the lake through our canal into 
the bay. 

{They sail chips.) 

Lizheth {clapping hands gleefully, jumping up and 
down) Yes! Yes! They do. Now the boat has 
landed at the city on the bay. Don't let's dig canals 
any longer, John. 

John What shall we do then ? 

Lizheth Let's go down in the meadow and hunt 
for wild flowers. 

John Very well, we will, and see if we can get 
our pails full before it is time to go home. 

{Both run hand in hand to meadow, as they near it 
Lizheth cries) 

Lizheth A violet ! A violet ! I spy the first violet 
{picks it). 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE II9 

John Jack-in-the-pulpit for my pail — three of 
them close together. 

Lizheth Dear little hepaticas! I do believe you 
are the prettiest of all. 

John Ho! Ho! Look, Lizbeth! Dutchman's 
breeches. 

Lizheth I was hunting for marsh marigolds and 
almost stepped on this little dog tooth violet. It 
never holds its head up, does it? 

John Oh! it is much too early for cowslips, 
Lizbeth. Many of the early spring flowers are gone 
before they come. We better be going home, Liz- 
beth. It must be growing late. See, all those work- 
men on their way home to supper. 

(Both run out into road and join workmen^ many 
of whom they know.) 

First Man Hello, little ones! What have you 
been doing all day ? 

John Hunting wild flowers in the field. 

Lizheth And see how many we found {holding 
pail up for him to see), 

Secmid Man A whole pailful! I didn't think 
there were so many in blossom. 

Third Man It must have taken you hours to 
find so many. 

John Only a few moments. We've been down 
on the beach most of the day. 



I20 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Fourth Man And what do you little people find 
to do down there ? Sail your boats ? 

Lizheth Sometimes, but we like better to play 
tag with the waves. 

John And bury each other in the sand. 

Fifth Man {to companions) Hadn't we better tell 
the children never to go as far away from home 
as the Nine Hills? 

First Man Yes, I think we ought. It might not 
be safe for a little maid with curls like gold and eyes 
as blue as the sky to go as far as the Nine Hills. 

Second Man Nor for a lad as strong and straight as 
John. We must warn them to keep away from there. 

Third Man Listen, children. Do you ever go 
as far away from home as the Nine Hills ? 

John Isn't that where the elves and goblins play 
at midnight and dance in the moonlight ? 

Third Man Yes, it is said to be their playground 
and to-day while we were at work near there, we 
heard strange voices in the air. 

Fourth Man And we heard small horns blown 
by lips we could not see. 

Lizheth And do you think it could have been the 
elves and goblins? 

Fourth Man Who else could it have been in that 
spot. 

John How are dwarfs and elves that people talk 
so much about, different from us? Do you know? 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 121 

Fifth Man They are the little brown-faced people 
who have no souls as Lizbeth and you and I have. 

Lizbeth Are there as many of them as there are of 
us? 

Sixth Man Exactly the same number; no more, 
no less. For every man and woman who walks 
through our town in the fresh air and sunshine there 
is a troll living under the ground. 

John And are there trolls for all the little girls 
and boys, too? 

First Man Yes, for every little lad and lass 
playing in the sunshine there is an elf living deep 
down in the earth. 

Lizbeth Ugh! How dark it must be down there! 
I'd not like to be an elf. 

Second Man I don't believe you would. Just 
think of it! The sun and air never come to the 
home of the trolls and elves. 

Lizbeth Oh! I see Papa coming. I'll run to meet 
him and get a ride. Good-night, John. Good-night, 
everybody. 

{Lizbeth runs on ahead.) 

Third Man The Miller thinks there never was 
a child quite as sweet as his Lizbeth. 

Fourth Man It would break his heart if anything 
happened to her. 

John This is where I live. Good-night and 



122 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

thank you for telling us about the queer little brown- 
faced people, who have no souls. 

Men Good-night, lad. 

First Man And remember, don't go as far away 
from home to play as the Nine Hills. 

{All separate.) 

Scene II 

Time: The next night. 
Place: The village street, 

{People walking up and down, talking excitedly, 
John wanders aimlessly about, crying bitterly,) 

First Person Isn't this a dreadful thing that has 
happened to our little Lizbeth? 

Second Person Almost night now and she has 
not been seen since morning. 

Third Person Poor John! Poor boy! He has 
cried himself sick. 

Fourth Person Lizbeth and he were the best of 
chums. 

Fifth Person And always had such good times 
together. Haven't you seen Lizbeth at all to-day, 
John? 

{John shakes head, still sobbing bitterly,) 
Sixth Person When did you see her last, John? 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 23 

John Yesterday. We had been playing together 
all day and as we were coming home at supper time 
she saw her father and ran to meet him and get a 
ride. That was the last I saw of her, running to meet 
her father. 

Seventh Person The woman who keeps house 
for the Miller says that Lizbeth started out early 
this morning to find John and then they were going 
to some new place they had heard of, to play, but she 
did not say where it was. 

Eighth Person Hark! What is that? 

(^'Lizbeth! Lizbeth! LizbethP^ is heard repeatedly 
in the distance.) 

First Person Oh! all the men of Rugen have gone 
out to hunt for the poor little lost girl. They are 
all through the woods and fields, calling her name 
at every step. Listen! You can hear them again. 
They must be coming back. 

(''Lizbeth! Lizbeth! Lizbeth!^ ^ is heard coming 
nearer all the time) 

Second Person Some went east, some went west; 
others north and south. 

{Large groups of men come in sight,) 

Women {cry) No news? No word? Have you 
no trace of our little lost girl? 



124 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

(Men shake heads sadly,) 

First Man We have nothing to tell her poor 
Father. 

Second Man We have not brought him his little 
lost girl, nor have we brought any word of her. 

Woman Poor man! Poor man! His heart will 
surely break. 

Second Woman How is he ever going to live with- 
out her? 

(Group of very old women of the village come along.) 

First Old Woman We know you have not found 
our little Lizbeth. We can tell by your faces. You 
would not look like that if you had good news of her. 

First Man No, we found no trace of the poor 
little one. 

Second Woman None will ever find our Lizbeth. 

(Men and women crowd about the Second Old 
Woman.) 

Second Man Why do you say so? What do 
you think has happened to her? Do you think she 
is dead? 

Second Old Woman She had better be dead, 
hadn't she, than stolen by the Trolls ? 

Third Man You really think our Lizbeth has 
Ijcen stolen by the little brown-faced people ? 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 25 

Fourth Man I never heard of their stealing our 
children. 

Second Woman Yes, once before did this same 
thing happen to a child of Riigen. It was even be- 
fore my day. My mother was a child herself then, 
and never forgot how her little playmate was snatched 
from them. 

Fourth Man Then you believe our Lizbeth is 
down among the elves and trolls this minute, shut 
away from the fresh air and sunshine forever? 

Second Old Woman We shall never know whether 
my words be true or not, but as for myself, I 
know what has befallen our poor little Lizbeth. 

Fourth Man Hark! {A bell is heard,) 

Third Woman What can that bell mean ? That 
they have found her? 

Fifth Man It would not toll as for the dead, if 
they had found her. 

Third Old Woman The Miller ordered prayers 
to be said in the church for his little daughter who 
comes not again, and the sexton is tolling the bell 
while they are being said. 

Sixth Man The poor Miller! This is a sorry 
day for him. 

Seventh Man No doubt he'd gladly give all his 
money if it would bring back his little daughter. 

First Man What a sad, lonely life he will lead 
without the one who filled all his days with sunshine, 



126 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Second Man And how empty his big house will 
seem without Lizbeth in it. She was always here, 
there and everywhere, busy as a bee. 

Third Man Since we can do nothing for the 
Miller, I suppose we might as well go to our homes. 

{All separate.) 



Scene III 

Time: Five years later. 
Place: Miller^ s Home. 

{Miller sits disconsolately^ resting head on hand. 
John enters room.) 

John Good-day, O Miller of Rugen. Do you 
remember me ? 

Miller {rising^ puts hand affectionately on John^s 
shoulder) Remember you, my boy? I^izbeth's old 
playmate, her best of chums? Remember you? 
Indeed I do, and think of you more often than of 
anyone in town, because my Lizbeth loved you. 

John I have grown so tall. There are many who 
do not know me now. They are still expecting to 
see the little boy I used to be. 

Miller And you almost a man ! But I can see, 
as if it were but yesterday, Lizbeth and you hand in 
hand, off for the beach or the meadows. Those 
were happy days, Boy, 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 27 

John The happiest of all our lives, but we shall 
see some more happy days before we die. 

Miller {shakes head sadly) You may, I hope. 
You ought, for you are young, but now Lizbeth has 
gone, I have no one to bring me happiness. 

John Then we must try to bring Lizbeth and with 
her will come happiness. 

Miller Bring Lizbeth back? Are you mad, 
Boy? She has been dead these five years. 

John You do not know that she is dead, nor do I, 
nor does any one, for none saw her lying dead. 

Miller Then why would she not come to us she 
loved, if she still lives ? 

John How can she if she is held a prisoner under- 
ground by the Trolls ? 

Miller And you beheve that old woman's tale ? 

John I do not know whether I do or not, but I 
came to tell you that I am going to find my old play- 
mate, or at least find out whether she be dead, as 
you think, or alive and a prisoner, as all the old 
women of Riigen think. 

Miller I can see no way for you to find out, my 
boy, but a father's heart is glad and thankful that 
you are going to try to get word of her we both 
loved. If I were a younger man, you should not go 
alone. 

John Then wish me success, good Miller, and I'll 
be off. 



128 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Miller Indeed I do wish you success! I shall 
sit here in my chair where you found me, and pray for 
you until you come again. 

John Good-by. 

Miller Good-by and God bless you, my dear 
boy — my Lizbeth's good comrade ! 

(They shake hands and John goes out.) 



Scene IV 

Time: Midnight of that same evening. 
Place: The Nine Hills. 

John (hidden in some bushes says to himself) The 
last that was seen of Lizbeth she was coming towards 
this playground of the Trolls. I suppose what those 
workmen said, of hearing strange sounds all that 
day as they worked, made her think she'd come and 
hear them, too, or perhaps even catch sight of a 
Troll. There they come now, the little brown-faced 
things. 

(Groups of Trolls come into sight, singing and danc- 
ing and making merry.) 

John That must be the leader who wears the red 
cap, and that same red cap is a magical one, IVe 
heard. I'll watch my chance, snatch it away from 
him, and see what happens. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 12g 

{The leader tosses cap into air. Quick as a flashy 
John "jumps from hiding place and catching it, puts 
it on his own head. Troll kneels at John^s feet and 
cries bitterly.) 

Troll My cap! My cap! Oh, give it back to 
me! I pray you, give it back to me! My magic 
cap ! It is of no use to you. It will not fit your great 
head. I beseech you, give it back to me! 

John (shakes head) No, I shall not give it back 
to you for all your pleadings. The Dwarf who 
throws away his magic cap must do something for 
the one who finds it. You must pay well for your 
cap if you wish it back. 

Dwarf Wliat is it you want me to do ? Tell me 
quickly how you wish me to pay for it that I may get 
it again. 

John Five years ago you stole my pretty Liz- 
beth and hid her away in your dark home, under the 
ground. Now, I will give you back your magic cap, 
if you will open the door to your underground home 
and let me take Lizbeth back to her Father. No 
other way will you ever get your cap from me. 

Dwarf Lizbeth would not come with you now. 
You could not coax her, for she is one of us. She 
is mine alone, or will be, for to-morrow Lizbeth is to 
be my bride. Even now the great cake is baked for 
the wedding feast. 



130 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

John (roars out very angrily) Hold your tongue! 
And may the evil spirit get you! Quick! Open the 
glass door in this hill that leads to your bad world 1 

{Both stand silent.) 

John (in threatening tone and slowly) Open that 
door, I say, or I '11 make you wish you had. 

Dwarf If I must then, come. (Opens door in hill. 
Both go down stairs.) 

John (to himself) Does this long stairway lead 
to his strange, sunless country, I wonder? Is he 
taking me there or into some dungeon where he will 
make me his prisoner? No. This must be the 
Land of the Dwarfs. I can hardly believe my eyes. 
The streets are all of golden sand, just as the story 
books tell us. What makes those great palaces 
sparkle and glow I wonder ? If my eyes tell me the 
truth they are made of precious stones. (To Dwarf.) 
Where does this long, dark passage lead me ? 

Dwarf Follow it and you'll come to the dining 
room, where you may have all the good things you 
can eat. I must leave you now for a little, but call 
for anything you'd like to eat and it will be brought 
to you. 

John (enters dining room and seats himself at 
table, says to himself) I never in all my life saw 
so much to eat at one time, so many tables and 
everyone loaded with good things. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 131 

{John looks long at girl, who comes up to take his 
order.) 

Girl If you'll give me your order, I'll bring you 
what you wish. 

John (continues to look at her, suddenly says) 
You are no Troll! 

Girl What makes you think I am not ? 

John No one with eyes as blue as yours and face 
as fair, ever belonged to the ugly Trolls. I do not 
like to see one so beautiful looking so pale and sad. 

Girl 1 have enough to make me look pale and 
sad. I have nothing to make me look rosy and happy. 

John Did you ever smile and were you ever 
happy in all your Hfe, I wonder? 

Girl There were few who laughed more merrily 
or lived happier days than I did once. 

John It seems as if I must have heard your voice 
before somewhere. 

Girl How could that be ? 

John Or else I have known some one else who 
speaks in the sweet, low voice you use. And your 
hair, too — who is it I know that has just such golden 
brown hair as yours ? 

(John thinks earnestly, looking at girl, who stands 
silent by table, then suddenly gives a great cry of joy) 

John O Lizbeth! Lizbeth! Now it all comes to 



132 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

me. My long-lost comrade {catches her in his arms). 
Don't you know me, Lizbeth? See! I am your 
old playmate. Don't you know me? Your best 
chum, John, the farmer's son. 

(Lizbeth looks long at John, then throws arms 
about his neck, bursts into tears, sobbing as if her heart 
would break,) 

Lizbeth O John! take me away! Take me 
away! If you love me, take me away from this 
dreadful place and these goblin folk! Remember 
how we used to love each other, and take me away! 

John Dear Lizbeth, that is what I came to do. 
To find you, if I could, and take you back to the 
village that still mourns for you, though five long 
years have passed. 

Lizbeth If I could only wander again with you, 
John, through the green fields, hunting the sweet 
smelling flowers, that I have not seen for all these 
years, how happy I would be! 

John And so you shall, Lizbeth, now that I 
have found you, for I shall never leave this place 
until I take you with me. 

Lizbeth If I could only feel again the soft wind 
fan my cheek, and hear again the gentle patter of 
the rain upon the roof. 

John So you shall, dear; very soon, under your 
Father's roof. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 33 

Lizheth What wouldn't I give to hear again the 
singing of birds, or the rustling of leaves in the wind ? 

John My poor Lizbeth! I begin to see some- 
thing of all you have missed these years we have 
been mourning you, for sun, nor wind, nor rain, nor 
song of bird, nor breath of flowers is never known in 
this strange dreary land. 

Lizheth Even the mooing of cows, as they go 
through the lanes at milking time, or the bleating of 
sheep, would be music to my ears. 

John You shall soon have again all you have 
lost, dear Lizbeth, except the five lost years that 
cannot be recalled. 

Lizbeth And oh! most of all, John, do I long to 
sit once more beside my Father's door cuddled close 
in his arms and hear the church bells ring. 

John Even that, too, Lizbeth, shall you do. 
Your Father is waiting for you and the church 
bells, that tolled so sad a measure when you were 
taken from us, will ring a merry chime to welcome 
you. So let me kiss away the tears from those pale 
cheeks and that sad smile from your sweet lips. 
Hark! What was that ? I hear some one groaning, 
Lizbeth. 

Lizbeth Yes, see, it is the Brown Dwarf. When 
he is very angry he always groans aloud that way, 
and tears his tangled hair and grinds his long teeth. 

John Brown Dwarf, listen to me. This beauti- 



134 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

ful girl has worked for you in this terrible place five 
long years, while all her friends thought her dead. 
She is going to be well paid by you for all you have 
made her suffer. Go quickly, Brown Dwarf, and 
bring her the most beautiful gems you have in all 
your rich store. Then, when you have let us both 
up again, through the gate of glass, I'll give you your 
magic cap, which I still have. 

Brown Dwarf (grumbling) Nothing else for me 
to do. I must get back my magic cap at any price. 

(Grumbles and ^nutters, as he fills John^s pockets 
with precious stones) 

Brown Dwarf May there be holes in every pocket 
that the stones will sHp through and be lost. 

John (laughs) Not a hole will you find in all 
my pockets. Brown Dwarf. I have too good a 
mother for that. Every stone you give me will reach 
home safely, you may be sure. There, my pockets 
will hold no more. Now, Lizbeth, make a bag of 
your apron, for you'll need it no more. The Miller's 
daughter will not be a waitress when she reaches 
her Father's home. 

Brown Dwarf May the cloth be tender and the 
stones so heavy that it tears and your treasure is lost 
on the way. 

Lizbeth Have no fear. Brown Dwarf. This is a 
new apron of the stoutest cloth. Every stone you 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 35 

pour into it shall be emptied out on my Father's 
table. 

John Now, Lizbeth, we are ready to leave this 
dreadful, sunless country. Pass us up through the 
glass gate, Brown Dwarf. 

{Brown Dwarf shows them the way upstairs.) 

John There! Our feet once more touch the 
soft, green grass. The rest is easy now. Do you 
feel the warm sunshine, Lizbeth? It is even now 
bringing the pink roses back to your pale cheeks. 

Brown Dwarf My cap! My cap! You prom- 
ised me my cap if I would let you through the glass 
gate. My cap! My cap! Give me my magic 
cap! 

Lizbeth Toss it to him quickly, John, that we 
need not see his crooked, claw-like fingers, stretch- 
ing up for it. 

John Oh, yes! I was so glad to get you above 
ground once more, I had forgotten his cap. Here, 
Brown Dwarf, look sharp! I'll toss it to you. 

Lizbeth Did he catch it ? 

John Yes and closed the glass gate. Now for 
home, Lizbeth, the shortest way, through the meadows. 

Lizbeth Surely, John, the sunshine was never 
as bright as this before. 

John Poor Lizbeth! It is because you have 
not seen it for so long. 



136 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Lizheth But the birds, John, did their song ever 
before sound half so sweet? 

John No, but I was never before in all my life 
so happy. Maybe that is it. 

Lizheth Hark! What is that other softer music 
I hear? It seems to come from a distance. Ah! 
now I know — the waves on the shore, John — the 
shore that used to look hke silver in the sunshine. 

John We are almost home, Lizbeth. Does the 
old house look the same to you? 

Lizheth {runs on ahead) There sits my Father 
in the door as of old. I can hardly wait to get to 
him. My feet carry me all too slowly. {Cries as she 
throws hersetf upon Father,) Father! Father! Take 
your Lizbeth! Hold me close! 

Miller {cries) Lizbeth! My little daughter! Can 
it be after all these lonely years that I hold you to me 
once more ? My arms have been so empty. Can it 
be they hold my Lizbeth at last ? {To John.) The 
bells! We must have them ring their merriest 
chimes, because our Lizbeth, whom we mourned as 
dead, has come back to us. Yes, the bells shall 
ring right merrily — the same bells that tolled so 
sadly for you, my daughter — and our friends and 
neighbors must be told the good news at once, John. 
The whole village will be wild with joy. 

John {takes Lizheth^ s hand. Both stand he fore 
Miller) Now I have found her, O Miller of Rugen, is 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 137 

she not mine? Will you not give me your Lizbeth 
for my wife ? 

Miller I cannot say, ^^No," to you John, nor do 
I wish to, for you will make my Lizbeth the best 
of husbands. Very soon we'll have a grand wedding 
for you in the church and all the village shall see 
you married. 

John I mean to build a fine home for Lizbeth 
and me where we'll live happily all our days. And 
then, in the Nine Hills, I mean to build a great 
cross of stone over the glass gate through which the 
goblins come to dance in the moonlight. I do not 
mean that any more of our children shall be stolen 
by the Dwarfs and suffer as our Lizbeth has 
suffered. 



THE MILLER OF DEE 

The Story 

There once lived a miller who had three children. 
One beautiful night he thought he would take them 
all for a ride. 

They had no carriage, but the Miller mounted 
his big, bay horse, Dobbin, and pulled the children 
up behind him. The moon was high in the sky 
and it was long past the little folks' bedtime, but the 
Miller thought it was too fine a night to spend 
sleeping. 

As Dobbin trotted out through the barn gate one 
of the children cried, ^^O Father, doesn't the moon 
look like a golden boat to-night?" 

"Yes," said the Miller, "and the sky is blue 
enough to be the sea on which it floats." 

Very soon they came to the toll gate, where an 
old man Hved in a little house and took the toll from 
travellers as they passed through. 

"Good-evening, O Miller of Dee! Where are you 

going so late at night ?" asked the old man, coughing 

and sneezing as he always had, since the children 

could remember. 

The Miller paid his toll, whipped up his horse and 
i.s8 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 39 

rode on as though he had not heard the old man's 
question. 

This made the old man very angry and he told 
himself the Miller could not be out so late on any 
good errand. 

''It must be either fear or shame that kept him 
from answering so harmless a question as that." 
The old man had not been able to walk far in many 
a day, but he thought he must follow the Miller 
and find out where he was going, since he would 
not tell. 

The moon was still high in the blue sky when the 
old man started out after the Miller. 

The poor old man's breath came so short, that he 
fell to coughing and wheezing, bending almost double 
as he tried to hurry on. 

He passed a milkmaid standing at the farmyard 
gate, who asked him, as he had asked the Miller, where 
he was going. 

The old man, like the Miller, did not answer her 
question by so much as a word. To be sure, he had 
no breath to spare for talking. 

He had little enough breath with which to chase 
after the Miller of Dee. 

The milkmaid grew angry, as the old toll man 
had done, when her question was not answered. 

''Since he'll not tell me where he is going," the 
milkmaid said, "I'll follow him and find out for 



140 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

myself; so she started out, not stopping even to put 
her pail of milk in the house. 

She had not gone far when she passed the minister's 
house. 

There under an old oak tree sat the minister him- 
self, reading. 

He looked up from the book in his hand to ask the 
milkmaid where she was carrying her pail of milk, 
but she was in so great a hurry that she could not 
stop to answer. 

The minister feared there was something wrong 
about her going, since she would not even say where 
she was bound. 

Surely as a minister of the village it was his duty 
to know, and how could he know, unless he followed 
her, which he did at once. 

They made quite a procession on the road, each 
following the other, the Miller, the old man, the milk- 
maid and now the minister. 

The minister's wife, seeing him go out of the yard 
and not wishing to be left behind, made still another 
who followed the Miller of Dee that day. 

The sexton who took care of the church, seeing 
both the minister and his wife go, joined the proces- 
sion. 

The policeman seeing the sexton start off thought 
there must be trouble somewhere that he ought to 
know about, so he came next in line. Two ragged 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 14I 

boys, half afraid of the poKceman, ran as close 
at his heels as they dared, to see who was going to be 
arrested. 

Bringing up the rear of this queer procession was 
a little black dog with only one eye, who trotted 
along because one of the ragged boys was his little 
master. 

There was no bright moon high in the blue sky 
now. The clouds had gathered. The wind blew 
a gale and the rain fell in such torrents that the river 
of Dee was rising. 

It was a wild night to be so far from home. 

The Miller thought so, too, as he made his horse 
wade across the river and climb the hill to find a 
shorter way home. 

After him, wherever he went, like boys playing 
'^Follow the leader," the strange procession came. 

Just as the clock struck twelve the Miller rode 
into his own yard and jumping down from old 
Dobbin, lifted his three children to the ground. 

As he turned to go into his house, whom should 
he see coming into the gate, but those who had fol- 
lowed him on his ride that night. The pouring rain 
had splashed and spattered them from head to foot. 

They were as muddy and wet and bedraggled 
as people well could be, and so tired they could hardly 
put one foot before the other. 

When they had crawled up the hill to where the 



142 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Miller stood the minister frowned at him and said, 
as cross as could be, ^'What do you mean, man, 
by doing as you have done to-night?" 

The Miller of Dee smiled a little and then he said, 
^^It was a nice, cool night for a ride, so I took my 
three children with me on old Dobbin, as I have done 
many a time before." 

For a moment no one said anything. 

Then the Miller asked, '^I would like to know, 
my friends, why so many of you followed me all the 
way?" 

Every one in that strange procession, from the old 
man to the little black dog with only one eye, looked 
first at each other and then at the Miller. 

It was plain to be seen no one knew what to say, 
but at last the minister spoke. 

^'The night was so fine we were out for a walk," 
and all the rest cried, ^' Yes, a nice, cool walk." 

The Miller of Dee laughed softly to himself, as 
he went into his house, while the strange procession 
straggled back down the hill in the pouring rain. 



THE MILLER OF DEE 

The Play 

Dramatis Persons 
The Mhler 

Three Chhdren of the Miller 
Old Tollman 
Mhkmaid 
Minister 
Minister's Wife 
Sexton 
Policeman 
Two Ragged Boys 
One Eyed Dog 
Dobbin — the old bay horse. 

Miller This is too beautiful a night to go to bed, 
children. 

First Child We think so, too, Father. What 
shall we do ? Sit in the garden ? 

Miller How would you all Uke to go for a ride ? 

Second Child Oh, so much, Father, but how 
could we? We have no carriage. 

Miller We have our big bay horse, Dobbin. I'll 
mount him and pull you all up behind me. 

Third Child Oh, Goody! Goody! What fun 
we'll have! 

143 



144 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Miller Then come to the barn with me and let 
us start as soon as we can; for the moon is high in 
the sky. 

First Child It is long past our bedtime now, 
isn't it, Father? We'll be up very late to-night. 

Miller Yes, I know you will, but it is too fine a 
night to spend sleeping. 

{Miller mounts and pulls each child upon Dobbin^ s 
back. Each child gives a little shriek as she jumps.) 

Miller Now are we all ready? 

First Child All ready. Father. 

Miller Remember to keep fast hold of each 
other. Don't let go for a moment, or you may 
fall oflf. 

Second Child Oh, Father, see the moon! Doesn't 
it look like a golden boat to-night ? 

Miller So it does and the sky is blue enough to be 
the sea on which it floats. Now we are coming to the 
toll gate. 

Third Child Does that old man have to stay here 
all the time and take the toll. Father ? 

Miller Yes. He lives in that little house by the 
gate and takes the toll from every traveller who 
passes through. 

First Child Does he always have a cold. Father? 
He coughs and sneezes as he is doing now every time 
I have seen him since I can remember. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 45 

Miller Sh! Sh! We are so near, he may hear 
you. Perhaps it is because he is so very old. 

{Miller drops toll in old man^s hand and whips 
up horse,) 

Old Man Good-evening, O Miller of Dee! 
Where may you be going so late at night ? {Ajter a 
pause.) He rides on as if he had not heard me. 
{Louder.) Where are you going, O Miller of Dee? 
Still he does not answer me. We'll see whether 
you will or not, O Miller of Dee, for you have made 
me very angry and now I am sure you are not out on 
any good errand so late. He must be either afraid 
or ashamed not to answer so simple a question as 
that. I have not walked more than a block in many 
a day, but I think I ought to follow that Miller, if I 
can, and find out where he is going, since he will 
not tell. O my! O my! My breath is so short! 
This walking makes me cough so hard. And how 
I wheeze, but I must hurry on. 

Milkmaid {standing by gate) O Tollman old! 
I did not suppose you were able to walk as far as 
this and up hill too. Where are you going so late ? 
{After a pause.) Well, you are not very polite, old 
man. Can't answer a civil question. To be sure, 
the poor old fellow has not much breath to spare for 
talking, but it makes me angry not to be answered 
at all; but I'll find out where you are going, old man, 



146 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

for I'll follow you and see for myself since you will 
not tell me. I'll not stop to put my pail of milk in 
the house. I'll carry it with me that I may lose no 
time. 

Minister {reading under tree in his own yard) It 
is very late to be delivering milk. I wonder where 
the milkmaid can be going with it this time of night. 
(To milkmaid,) What brings you out so late, my 
pretty milkmaid? Is someone ill to whom you are 
carrying milk? Are you in too great a hurry, even 
to answer me ? There is something all wrong about 
this, or she'd be willing to tell where she is going. 
I believe it is my duty as her minister to find out 
about this. But how can I unless I follow her ? That 
is exactly what I'll do and at once. 

Minister's Wife comes out of house into yard) I 
thought my husband was reading under the tree. 
I saw him but a moment ago. Where can he have 
gone? How strange that he did not come tell me 
he had a call to make! Ah! There he is, up the 
road, almost running. I'll follow and try to catch 
up with him, for I don't like to be left alone in the 
house as late as this. 

Sexton Who is sick, or dying, or perhaps 
dead, I wonder? Both the minister and his wife 
are going up the road as fast as their feet will 
carry them. I must follow them and see who is 
in trouble. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 147 

Policeman What sends all these people out on 
the road at this late hour, I wonder. And all going 
the same way, and all in a great hurry. I saw the 
minister start out as if he were in great haste, then 
his wife and now the sexton. They must have had 
word of an accident somewhere. They may need 
me. How do I know but it is something I ought 
to attend to ? If I hurry, I may be able to catch up 
with them and find out. 

First Boy Look! There's a cop! running along 
the road like a deer. I'll bet he is chasing a thief. 
Let's hurry after him and see him arrest someone. 

Second Boy Come on ! Maybe there's a fight ! 

First Boy Or a fire! 

Second Boy Run faster, can't you? Perhaps 
there's a runaway. 

First Boy And maybe someone was killed. 

One-eyed dag I'll have to trot along as fast as I 
can, for the boy with the red cap is my little master 
and I always go wherever he does, though what all 
this queer procession means, I don't know, nor 
where they are all going, nor why they are hurrying 
so, but then I am only a dog. Perhaps my little 
master knows why we are following all the rest. 

{Millefs Children speak) 

First Child Where is our bright moon now, 
Father? 



148 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Second Child It was high up in the blue sky 
when we started. 

Third Child Where's it gone, Father? It was 
so pretty. 

Miller Thick, dark clouds have covered it, so 
we cannot see it. I am afraid there is going to be a 
big storm long before we can get home. 

First Child How the wind blows. Father! 

Miller Yes, a perfect gale. 

Second Child Here comes the rain. We'll get 
very wet, won't we. Father? 

Miller It is coming down in such torrents the 
River of Dee will rise and we'll have a hard time get- 
ting home. I am sorry now we came so far, for it is 
a wild night to travel. Dobbin, you'll have to wade 
the river whether you like it or not. Hold fast to 
each other, and to Father, children. Now, Dob- 
bin, you must climb this hill, for it will take us a 
much shorter way home. 

First Child Father, there are so many people 
following close behind us. 

Miller One or two, you mean, child, not many 
this wild night, for few travel this road even in the 
daytime. 

Second Child Yes, Father, Sister did see many 
people. I looked just now and saw them, too. 

Third Child Where can they be going ? To our 
house, Father? 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 49 

Miller No, no, child, but here we are at home 
and glad I am to get you back safely, though you 
are all as wet as drowned rats. 

{Miller jumps his children down from Dobbin^s 
back.) 

First Child Oh, look, Father! All those people 
Sister saw following us are turning in the gate. 

Miller Never mind. I'll stay here to meet them. 
You run to Mother and get dry clothes. I'll see 
what the people want of us. 

(Miller watching people come slowly up hilly says 
to himself) 

Miller They are splashed and spattered from 
head to foot, even worse than we were. They are 
as wet and bedraggled as people well can be. And 
so tired they can hardly put one foot before the 
other. What can it be that has brought them so 
far in this pouring rain? (To people as they come 
nearer) What can I do for you, Friends ? 

Minister (frowns on Miller ^ speaking angrily) 
You can tell us this, then. What do you mean 
by doing as you have done to-night? 

Miller It was a nice cool night for a ride, before 
the storm came up, too fine a night to sleep, so I 
took my three children for a ride on old Dobbin's 
back, as I have done many a time before. 



150 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

{Long pause. All silent.) 

Miller Now I too would like to know something. 
Why have so many of you followed me all the way ? 

{Long silence. Each looks at the other and then 
at Miller^ not knowing what to say.) 

Minister The night was fine, as you said, and we 
were out for a walk. 

All {in chorus) Yes, a nice, cool walk. 

Miller {laughs long and loud) Good-night, my 
friends, you have a nice, wet walk before you, in the 
pouring rain. I bid you good-night, my friends. 

{Miller goes into house. Procession straggles hack 
the way they came.) 




.vr^-^- 



THE CROW'S CHILDREN 

The Story 

One day in early fall a hunter carrying his gun was 
walking through a field whistling a merry tune. 

On the topmost branch of a dead tree sat the 
blackest of black crows, who called out to the hunter: 

^^I know you have started out with your gun to 
kill all the birds who steal your corn and I don't 
blame you one bit. I would, too, if I were a farmer 
and raised corn, but don't you dare hurt any of my 
family." 

The hunter stood still near the dead tree, till the 
crow had finished, then he said : 

'^The only birds I am after are those that are 
eating up my crops. If your young ones are thieves, 
I promise you my gun will stop their stealing once 
and for all." 

The Crow ruffled her black feathers as if she did 
not like what the hunter said. 

'^It is very plain to be seen that you do not know 

my children at all. There are no better youngsters 

than mine in all the world. There isn't one among 

them all that would steal so much as a grain of your 

com or any other man's." 

151 



152 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

''Very good/' said the hunter, ''but how am I to 
know which birds are yours? Have they beautiful 
black satin coats like yours ? " 

"Oh, dear, no!" screamed the crow. "My chil- 
dren are much better looking birds than I am. Black 
satin coats, indeed! though that is a very nice way 
to speak of my sad colored feathers. They are the 
whitest birds that ever flew — as white as the snow, 
when first it falls, as pure as the lily. 

"I cannot fail to know them now, Mother Crow," 
said the hunter. 

"I'll remember to spare all the snow-white birds I 
see, for they do not steal my corn, you say." 

"Not a grain! Not one grain!" cawed the crow, 
while the hunter went on his way, whistling a merry 
tune. 

Bang! Bang! All day long the Crow heard his 
gun in the woods, but she did not worry in the least, 
for hadn't she told the hunter exactly how her beauti- 
ful birds looked? And hadn't he promised not to 
kill the snow-white things? Why need she worry 
indeed? But there was the Hawk, her neighbor, 
whose children were all such dreadful thieves. 
When night came the hawk might find few of 
her strong-winged birds would ever come home 
again. 

And there was her other neighbor, too, that saucy 
blackbird, who might not whistle so merry a tune 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 153 

when she found that many of her bold children had 
stolen their last grain of corn. 

Mother Crow was feeling almost sorry for her 
neighbors and the trouble their wicked youngesters 
brought them, when she saw the hunter coming home 
from his day in the woods. 

The poor Crow almost fell from her perch on the 
topmost branch of the dead tree, when she saw what 
was hanging down his back. She had to look the 
second, and even the third time, before she could be- 
lieve her eyes, but it was only too true. 

A string of dead crows as long as his arm was what 
the poor Mother saw. 

Her children, her pretty birds, her good young- 
sters that never stole so much as a grain of com, all 
dead. 

''Alas! Alas!" cried the Crow. ''What in the 
world have you done? 

"This morning you promised to spare my pretty 
birds. This evening you have killed them, every 
one!" 

"Your birds?" said the hunter, looking as puzzled 
as could be. " How can they be your birds ? I found 
these ugly birds stuffing themselves in my cornfield 
and you told me that your children would not steal 
so much as one grain. These birds I killed are 
as black and homely as any that ever flew. You 
said I'd be sure to know yours, because they were 



154 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

as white as snow, when first it falls. How can it 
be, then, that I have killed your birds?" 

The Mother Crow was so angry she screamed at 
the hunter. ^^You are the stupidest man I ever 
knew! Go away! Go away! I say. Get out of 
my sight! No one but a Mother knows how good 
and fair her children are." 

^^Oh, now, I see! I see!" said the hunter. ^'But 
I can't see quite as you do, however hard I try, for it 
is only a Mother who can love her children so well 
that black looks white to her." 



THE CROW'S CHILDREN 

The Play 

Dramatis Personce 
Hunter 
Mother Crow 

Crow (on topmost branch of dead tree) Who is 
this comes walking through the field so early ? Not 
Fanner Gray, I know, for he never whistles so merry 
a tune as that. He must be a hunter, for I see he is 
carrying a gun. But what would he find to hunt 
about here unless it were the thieving birds that 
steal all the farmer's com. That must be what he 
is going to do. (Calls to hunter,) I know you have 
started out with your gun to kill all the thieving 
birds that steal your com and I don't blame you one 
bit. It is exactly what I'd do myself, if I were a 
farmer and raised com for market. But, Mr. Hunter, 
don't you dare hurt so much as a feather of any of 
my family. 

Hunter The only birds I am after, the only 
birds at which my gun shall be aimed, are those 
that are eating up my crops faster than I can raise 
them. If your young ones are thieves, I promise 
you my gun will stop their stealing once and for 

155 



156 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

all. They'll never live to scratch up another grain 
of corn. 

Crow Your words do not please me, Mr. Hunter. 
It is very plain to be seen that you do not know my 
children at all. There are no better youngsters than 
mine in all the world. I like not to hear them called 
thieves, for there is not one among them who would 
steal so much as a grain of your corn or any other 
man's. 

Hunter Very good, I'm glad to hear so good a 
report of any birds, but how am I to know which 
birds are yours? Have they beautiful black satin 
coats like yours? 

Crow Oh, dear, no ! Oh, dear, no ! Indeed they 
have not! If you call my old black coat beautiful 
you should see theirs. If you admire mine, I do not 
know what you will say, when you see theirs My 
children are all much better looking birds than I 
am. Black satin coats indeed! Though that is a 
very nice way to speak of my sad colored feathers. 
My children are the whitest birds that ever flew, 
as white as the snow when first it falls, as pure as 
the Hly. 

Hunter Well, then, I cannot fail to know them, 
now. Mother Crow, if I but use my eyes. I'll not 
forget to spare all the snow-white birds I see, for 
they are your children, and do not steal my corn, 
you say. 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 57 

Crow Not a grain! Not one grain of your corn 
or any other farmer's com. 

Hunter Very well. Mother Crow. Now I must 
be on my way again, for I have a long day's work 
before me, to catch and kill, before the sun sets; 
all the bold thieving birds that have been helping 
themselves to my com, every day since it was planted. 



Scene II 

Time: Late in afternoon of same day. 
Place: Same tree where crow was sitting in morning. 
Crow still seated on topmost bough. 

Crow There it goes again ! Bang! Bang! Bang! 
All day long I have heard that hunter's gun in the 
woods. If I had not told the hunter exactly how 
my beautiful children look, I'd worry every time I 
heard his gun, for fear he had shot some of them by 
mistake. But now, I do not have an anxious mo- 
ment, when I hear his gun banging in the woods, 
for he promised me not to kill any of my snow-white 
darlings. But I can't help feeling sorry for my 
neighbor, the Hawk. Her children are all such 
dreadful thieves. The hunter will surely catch 
some of them stealing his com, for they do it from 
morning till night. So I am afraid when night 
comes the poor Mother Hawk will find that few of 



158 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

her strong-winged birds will ever come home to 
her again. 

Then there is that other neighbor of mine, the 
blackbird. Though she has been very saucy and 
rude to me more than once, I can't help feeling sad 
for her. Whistle that merry tune as long as you 
can, poor Mother Blackbird. Your tune will not 
be so gay when night comes, I fear. The farmers 
all say there are no thieves in the fields any bolder 
than her children, when night comes, and it is time 
for her to call her brood home, she'll find many of 
her young ones will not answer, will never again come 
at her call, nor will they ever steal again. They 
have stolen and eaten their last grain of com, many 
of her children, I fear. My poor neighbors! How 
sorry I am for you ! How fortunate a Mother is 
to have children Kke mine ! How happy and thank- 
ful I ought to be. Wicked children can bring so 
much trouble to their Mothers {screams). Oh! Oh! 
It can not be! I almost fell from my high perch at 
what I thought I saw, but I must be mistaken. It 
can not be true. My eyes must deceive me. It is 
the hunter, the very same hunter with whom I was 
talking this morning. Of that I am sure, and — 
hanging down his back — oh, no, no, it cannot be! 
I will not believe it. Let me look again, the second 
time. My old eyes may not be very bright to-day. 
I'll not believe this dreadful thing until I look th^ 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 159 

third time. The air to-day is not very clear for 
seeing things at a distance. Oh, my pretty, pretty 
children ! It is only too true. Mother's snow-white 
birds all dead. My good youngsters, who never 
stole so much as a grain of corn, killed, instead of 
those bold, thieving birds who do nothing but steal 
from morning till night. What can it all mean? 
{Shrieks at hunter,) Alas! Alas! What dreadful 
thing is this you have done ? What terrible mistake 
have you made? Or are you a bad, wicked man 
whose promise is good for nothing? Only this 
morning under this same tree, you promised to spare 
my pretty birds. This evening you have killed my 
beautiful children, every one. 

Hunter Your birds? I do not understand you. 
Of what birds are you speaking ? 

Crow Of my beautiful birds, to be sure, that 
you promised not to kill, and then shot at them all day. 

Hunter How can these be your birds. Mother 
Crow ? I found these ugly fellows, stuffing themselves 
in my cornfields, so I felt sure they could not be yours, 
for you told me your birds would not steal so much 
as a grain of com. These birds on my back are as 
black and ugly as any that ever flew, so I was sure 
they could not be yours, for you said yours were as 
white as the snow when first it falls — as pure as 
the lily. How, how can it possibly be that I have 
killed your children. Mother Crow ? 



l6o THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

Crow You are the stupidest man that ever lived, 
the dullest man that ever was bom, the dumbest 
thing I ever knew! Go away! Go away! I say. 
Out of my sight before I tear your eyes out with my 
claws, your blind eyes that cannot tell black from 
white. Oh, you cruel man! You wicked man! You 
have broken my heart! My beautiful children! 
My pretty birds! No one but your Mother knew 
how good and fair you were. 

Hunter Oh, now I see at last! I see, but I 
can't see quite as you do, however hard I try. There 
is no one but a Mother who can love her children so 
well that black looks white as the snow when first 
it falls, as pure as the lily to her. 

Crow Out of my sight, I say, you blind man! 
Out of my sight, before I scratch out your eyes that 
can't tell one color from another! Oh, my pretty 
snow-white birds! My good children! How can 
Mother ever live without you! 



KING SOLOMON AND THE ANTS 
The Story 

Once there lived a great king whose name was 
Solomon. His people thought him the wisest man 
in all the world. Not far from King Solomon's 
country lived a Queen, called the Queen of Sheba. 

She had heard Solomon called the richest as well 
as the wisest of Kings. 

So the Queen of Sheba came to pay King Solomon 
a visit that she might see whether all the wonderful 
things she had heard of him were true. 

One day King Solomon with all his soldiers rode 
out of the city with the Queen of Sheba that she 
might see the beautiful country before she went 
back to her home. 

She was a very proud Queen and always dressed in 
robes of purple and gold. She rode at the king's side 
and sat her beautiful horse as well as the king did his. 

The Queen of Sheba had heard that King Solo- 
mon knew the language which all the birds and 
animals and insects spoke. 

People said he was so wise he understood every- 
thing that was said by all the creatures that lived 
upon the earth. 

i6i 



1 62 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

The great and small, those that walked and those 
that swam, those that flew and those that crawled, 
spoke a language that King Solomon knew. 

As this wise King and proud Queen rode on that 
day, with a long line of soldiers following, their path 
led across an ant hill. 

King Solomon heard the small Ant folk say: 
^^Here comes that king men say is so wise and good 
and just. How can he be, when he means to crush us 
and our homes in the dust? He does not seem to 
see that he will ride over us, but perhaps he would 
not care if he did. 

The great king, who had been listening to all the 
Ant folk said, told the Queen of Sheba what he had 
heard them say. 

The Queen's eyes opened wide with surprise that 
he was able to understand what these little black 
bugs said. 

^^O king!" she whispered. ^'They should be 
happy even to be stepped upon by one so wise and 
great as you. How do these crawling things dare 
speak against you whom God gave a crown, against 
you, to whom even Kings bend the knee." 

^'No," said King Solomon, shaking his head very 
slowly. ''The v/ise and strong should take care 
of the weak. That is the right way," and, as he 
spoke, he turned his horse sharply aside. 

All the long line of soldiers saw what their King 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 1 63 

had done, and, though they did not know why, they 
all did the same. Every rider turned his horse 
sharply aside, when he came to the ant hill, so neither 
the ants nor their home were harmed in the least. 

The Queen of Sheba bent her proud head. 

^^O King!" she said, ^' now I know why people 
call you good and wise and just. No wonder this 
country, is a happy one, when its naler listens more 
carefully to the troubles of his poor people than all 
the flattering things the rich may say to him. 



KING SOLOMON AND THE ANTS 

The Play 

Dramatis Personce 
Queen of Sheba 
King Solomon 
Soldier 

Ants 

Soldier I bring greetings to the great King Solo- 
mon from the Queen of Sheba, who is even now on 
her way to pay a visit to her neighbor-king. 

Solomon Of the beauty of your Queen I have 
often heard. It is good news indeed, and a very 
great honor that she is about to pay us a visit. I, 
myself, with my soldiers, will go forth to meet and 
welcome her. Soldiers ! To horse ! Eveiy man of 
you ! and bring to me my milk-white steed with its 
crimson trappings, for the best and the finest we have 
in our kingdom will be none to good in which to wel- 
come this beautiful Queen. 

Soldier The milk-white steed with its crimson 
trappings waits for you to mount, my lord. 

Solomon Then, let us start forth with all speed, 
for I would welcome the Queen of Sheba just with- 
out the walls of the city. 

{All ride off together in haste.) 
164 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE I05 

Secmid Soldier We were none too soon, my lord, 
for look! the beautiful Queen is already in sight, upon 
the road with her attendants following. 

Solomon A Queen indeed she is! One would 
know that by the way she sits her beautiful horse, 
A proud Queen, too, I know by the way she holds 
her lovely head. She is dressed as a Queen should 
be, too, in robes of purple and gold, even on this 
dusty road. {Says to Qtieen) Welcome to the beautiful 
Queen of Sheba ! Welcome to my kingdom ! We are 
honored indeed to receive a visit from one so great. 

Queen Greetings! O King! I live not far from 
your country and I have wished for some time to 
pay you a visit and see for myself, if all the wonder- 
ful things I hear of you are true. 

Solomon What are some of these wonderful 
things you have heard of me ? I am glad of them, 
whatever they are, since they have brought me a 
visit from so beautiful and good a Queen. 

Queen Your people think you are the wisest man 
in the world. I have heard you called the richest as 
well. 

Solomon My people love me and think everything 
I do is right. Perhaps they talk too much of my 
wisdom to those who do not know and love me as 
they do. My kingdom is a very rich one. I liave 
more gold than any man needs. 

Queen But that is not all. The most wonderful 



1 66 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

thing I heard of you is yet to come: that you knew 
the language which all the birds and animals and in- 
sects speak. People say you are so wise that you 
can understand everything that is said by all crea- 
tures that live upon the earth, great and small, those 
that walk and those that swim, those that fly and 
those that crawl, you understand the language that 
all of these creatures speak. Is it true, O King, that 
you are even as wise as that ? 

Solomon It is not as hard as you think it is to 
study languages different from the one we speak. 
It does not take a very wise man to understand what 
birds and animals and insects are saying, if he is 
willing to watch them and listen patiently for awhile. 

Queen What a beautiful part of the country this 
is through which we are riding. 

Solomon We'll ride in this direction a little farther 
before we turn towards home, so you may look 
down into the valley. 

(While King and Queen ride on in silence, ant folk 
talk among themselves,) 

First Ant Here comes that king men say is so 
wise and good and just. 

Second Ant How can he be, I'd like to know, 
when he means in another moment to crush us 
and our homes in the dust? When by turning his 
horse but a few inches out of the path, he need not 



THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 167 

kill US nor ruin the homes we have worked so hard 
to make. 

Third Ant He does not seem to see that he will 
ride over us, if he keeps on. 

Fourth Ant Perhaps he would not care if he did 
ride over us, killing us and crushing our homes. 

Fourth Ant O. Ants! we have wronged a good 
kind king when we said he'd not care if his horse's 
hoofs did trample us in the ground, for see what he 
has done! 

Fijth Ant Turned his own horse sharply aside, 
and of course every soldier will do whatever his king 
does, though he may not know why. 

Sixth Ant Yes, every soldier all down the long 
line, turns his horse sharply aside, when he comes 
to the place where the king turned his. 

Seventh Ant He is the wise good king we have 
always heard he was, to be sure. 

Eighth Ant We were only some little black ants 
to him, but he went out of his way to spare our lives 
and our homes. 

Ninth Ant What other king would ever do that ? 
I never heard of one that would. 

Solomon Why are you so silent, O Queen ? Am I 
taking you too long a ride? Perhaps you are tired. 
We can turn back any time you wish. 

Queen I am not in the least tired, and do not 
wish to turn back, but I have been wondering why 



1 68 THE LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE 

you and all your soldiers turned your horses aside 
when you came to a certain place in the road. 

Solomon Did you see those little black ants we 
just now passed? As we came towards them, I 
heard one say, ^^Here comes that king men say is 
so wise and kind. How can he be, when he means 
in a moment to crush us and our homes in the dust ?" 
Another said, "He does not seem to see that he will 
ride over us," and still another thought I'd not care 
if I did kill them and ruin their homes. I would have 
turned my horse aside for the busy little things, if I had 
not heard a word they said, they are such patient 
toilers. 

Queen O King! The ants ought to be happy 
even to be stepped on by one as wise and great as 
you. How dare those crawling things speak one 
word against you, whom God has given a crown I 
You, to whom even kings bend the knee! 

Solomon {shakes head slowly) No, no. The wise 
and strong ought to take care of the weak. That is 
the right way. 

Queen My proud head is bowed before you, 
O King! Now I know why people call you good 
and wise and great. No wonder this country is a 
happy one. It is not strange your people love you 
as they do. There are few rulers in the world who 
listen more carefully to the troubles of his poor than 
to all the flattering things the rich may say to him. 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



*^ »" 25 



^' \ 



